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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24545620">Trust</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxEtoile/pseuds/NyxEtoile'>NyxEtoile</a>, <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlivesAwl/pseuds/OlivesAwl'>OlivesAwl</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legacy of the Tower [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Children of Characters, F/M, Friends With Benefits, Hurt/Comfort, Royal Wedding</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 00:41:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>33,632</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24545620</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/NyxEtoile/pseuds/NyxEtoile, https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlivesAwl/pseuds/OlivesAwl</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>Trust n. A legal device used to set aside money or property of one person for the benefit of one or more persons or organizations.</i>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <i>Kat was half asleep and almost didn't hear AJ when he asked, "Could I ask a fairly large favor?"</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Mmm. Does it involve animals or non-fun bodily fluids?"</i>
</p>
<p> <i>"No, but it does involve international travel and my family." He shifted to face her. "Would you be my date to my sister's wedding? I don't want to go alone."</i></p>
<p>
  <i>"Your sister who's marrying the prince?" He nodded slowly. "Yeah, of course I'll come."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>AJ blinked. "I thought more persuasion would be needed."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Your family is not scarier than my family and I've been dealing with them for almost thirty years. Plus, I'll get to go to a royal wedding and wear a fancy dress."</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Character/Original Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Legacy of the Tower [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/965454</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>132</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>198</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's time for the last Stark-Potts sibling, AJ to have his time to shine. We really enjoyed this one, hope you do too.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>AJ Stark-Potts’s brother was 2 and a half minutes younger than him—Wakanda, where they’d been born, recorded birth times to the hundredth of a second—but at various points in their lives, it felt like years.</p><p>They were identical, and understood each other better than anyone else on earth. But they were also very different, and from the time they were teenagers AJ had been cleaning up after George. His brother had a penchant for drinking and irresponsible behavior, and AJ, Ruby, and a group of their cousins managed to shield him, for better or for worse, from most consequences. Somehow, George managed to avoid the handful of things even AJ couldn’t have helped with—he never drove drunk and hurt someone, he never got an STD that couldn’t be cured with antibiotics, and he never got anyone pregnant.</p><p>Until the month where two of those happened at once, anyway. </p><p>AJ was in the air halfway over the pacific when George called him and asked him to come home. It was a rare request, so he had the plane turned around. He was supposed to be attending a UN summit, but he’d make some excuse—he was pretty good at that.</p><p>When he got there AJ met a man named Stu, whose care George had totaled and was now helping George get sober. AJ learned a lot about the ethos and generosity of people in AA that weekend, as he worked on setting up a secret, private detox and rehab right there in their house. Only with Stark money could you do that sort of thing.</p><p>“It would help if I could call Aunt Amanda,” AJ commented to George that night.</p><p>“No, I don’t want the family to find out.”</p><p>“If she didn’t tell Mom and Dad when she had to prescribe a course of antiretrovirals because their 17 year old had unprotected sex with a strange man in a club bathroom, I don’t think she’s going to blab about this.”</p><p>George glared at the beer he was drinking. No one wanted him to stop drinking until medical support was in place, so he’d bought a brand he hated. “It was easier to be a fuckup at that age.”</p><p>“Roger, then. He’s a doctor and he’s completely aware of you and all your sins. He might-”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“I know Ruby has-”</p><p>“<i>No</i>.”</p><p>AJ sighed in frustration. “I don’t get why you’re being such a pain in the ass about this.”</p><p>“I’m going to get enough shit about the other thing, which I can’t keep private. This I can.”</p><p>“What other thing?”</p><p>George drummed his fingers on the side of the bottle. “Kayla Jackson.”</p><p>That was the very famous actress George had recently had a thing with. “What about her?” AJ asked warily.</p><p>“She’s pregnant. It’s definitely mine.”</p><p>AJ rubbed his forehead. Well, there it was.</p><p>From that day, AJ braced for the worst. . . and the next couple of years didn’t go at all like he expected. Instead, his wild and reckless brother finally grew up.</p><p>George got and stayed sober. His ex turned out to be a shitty mother, and George got full custody of his daughter and learned to be a pretty good parent. He then married a single mom, and they had a third baby together. </p><p>AJ came to meet his new niece that day she was born, and then flew back to Nigeria for the infrastructure project he was in the middle of. He ran the Stark Foundation, currently the largest philanthropic entity in the world, and was pulled in a lot of directions. When he finally came home to stay for an actual stretch of time, the baby was a few months old, and he could hardly recognize his brother.</p><p>George was standing in the kitchen, wearing the baby in a sling, making play-dough on the stove and talking about synthesizing the antibacterial enzymes in breastmilk. “I’m just saying, if you got that in the formula, it would go a long way to solving the contaminated water issue in the third world.”</p><p>“Boiling solves the contaminated water issue, and even in refugee camps they have fire. Malnutrition from dilution is the bigger problem—formula is expensive.” AJ was still making notes, because it <i>was</i> and interesting idea with a variety of applications.</p><p>“Does that matter as much if you’re giving it away?” George held up the bowl. “Does this look too pink?”</p><p>“Okay, I really need you to admit this is a very sophisticated android experiment and the real George is locked up down in your lab.”</p><p>"You're reached George Stark's life model decoy," he said in a vaguely robotic voice. "Please leave a message about whether this is too pink.”</p><p>“There’s no such thing to a three year old girl. Does Amelia know you’re doing science experiments with her spare milk?”</p><p>“She asked me to,” George replied. “She’s concerned she’s going to dry up and need formula for Ginger.”</p><p>AJ frowned. “Is something wrong?”</p><p>His brother cleared his throat. “No, she’s just. . .pregnant. Again.”</p><p>AJ laughed out loud. “<i>There</i> is the real George.”</p><p>"I don't know if my superhuman fertility is my fault. And at least I'm married to the girl this time."</p><p>“I can’t imagine the number of babymamas you’d have by now if you were straight.”</p><p>"I'm sure it definitely helped my odds. Though dad managed to avoid accidents and he was mostly straight.”</p><p>“So are you guys just going to spit out a baby a year like fundies or what?”</p><p>He blew out a breath. "Well, now that we know we can't count on the breast feeding, we'll be using birth control until we decide it's time for another one or getting snipped.”</p><p>“You ever take a turn giving the baby a bottle?”</p><p>"Of course, I'm not an asshole.”</p><p>AJ gestured at him. “That’s why the breastfeeding didn’t work. It’s as effective as the pill, but there can be no bottles.”</p><p>"Well, that does explain it." He pulled the pot off the stove and dumped the play dough onto a plate lined with wax paper. "Clearly I should have been more caveman."</p><p>“Or gotten some condoms,” AJ replied.</p><p>“Why do you know that, anyway?”</p><p>“We operate reproductive health clinics in 107 countries. You learn a lot about free methods of birth control. Pulling out it far more effective than high school health class would have us believe.” He paused. “Thought probably not for you.”</p><p>"All those years wondering if we had any super hero stats. Turned out to all be in the sperm.”</p><p>“I’m happy for you,” AJ said after a moment. “Really.”</p><p>George gave him a look like he wasn't really sure of that, then went back to gingerly kneading his dough. "I guess no one ever thought either of us would settle down anytime soon.”</p><p>“The playboy and the guy with a terminal case of wanderlust? No. We’d have all put money on Ruby getting married and having a bunch of adorable children. . .yet here we all are.”</p><p>"Life is full of surprises," he said. "Especially lives like ours.”</p><p>George’s wife delivered a baby boy the following spring, much to the entire family’s delight. AJ was overseas again, but he came home for the birth. Both parents were in California, too, which made the house crowded.</p><p>Ruby wasn’t there, because she was in Europe visiting her new boyfriend.</p><p>“So like an actual prince? A real one, not one of those vestigial ones from before WW1 or something?”</p><p>George had middle of the night duty with the baby, and AJ was on Arabia Standard Time, so they were both in the living room at 2AM.</p><p>"An honest to God Prince. From a small country in the Alps. Vanlund. I'm guessing he'll be a King before long, his dad is getting up there.”</p><p>“I am both astonished and not at all surprised.”</p><p>"It really does seem like the only logical choice for her, doesn't it?"</p><p>“You think it’s serious?” AJ asked. “Or just entertainment?”</p><p>"Hard to tell, haven't met the guy. But I'm getting the vibe it's pretty serious.”</p><p>“Huh.”</p><p>"Yeah. I was starting to get worried about her." He propped the baby up on his shoulder and patted the little guy's back. "But Dad says she seems really happy.”</p><p>“Good,”” AJ said. “I worry about her too.” He poked George with his foot. “And hey, maybe now she won make a face if you end up with surprise baby #5 in a couple months.”</p><p>George stuck his tongue out at him. "Shut up. We're being careful.”</p><p>“The fact that there’s anything to be careful about given you have a four week old baby explains a lot about why you have two sets of Irish Twins.”</p><p>"Ah, but this time we're doing stuff with very little chance of pregnancy.”</p><p>“I just meant I think most women are still at ‘don’t touch me’ with a baby that small. I applaud you for finding someone who runs on the same speed as you. So to speak.”</p><p>He grinned. "Yeah. Amelia and I have few complaints."</p><p>If someone had told AJ a couple years ago he’d be a little jealous of George’s domestic bliss he’d have laughed in their face.</p><p>AJ liked a little alone time in the morning. For most of the years he'd lived with his brother, that had never been a problem. George had usually been hung over, and he wasn't up early even if sober. Now, though, the house had 4 children under 5, and two old people on East Coast time. Everybody was awake by dawn.</p><p>The surf, at least, was up.</p><p>If he wanted to, he could surf off the beach in front of the house. Surfing was always popular in LA, but at dawn even the best of beaches weren’t too crowded and he could go anywhere. Today there was only one other person at his favorite spot. When he got there and suited up they were just a little dot out past the shallows, studying the horizon.</p><p>People up this early were pretty chill, and he waved a little as he got near what turned out to be a woman.</p><p>Speaking of chill, he missed the parts of the world where the water was warm year round. Or at least a larger part than it was here.</p><p>"You picked a good time to come," she said as he got closer. "The good ones just started to roll in."</p><p>He smiled at her. "Today I wouldn't even mind bad ones."</p><p>She returned the smile. "Pretty early to be having that kind of day."</p><p>"My nieces and nephews were loud this morning."</p><p>"Ah. I suppose that'll do it."</p><p>He didn't want to be that annoying chatty person, and he also didn't feel chatty, so he caught himself a wave. He found himself keeping an eye on her anyway—she was a pretty good surfer, Polite, too, they shared a couple waves and she kept out of his way easily.</p><p>The sun was firmly in the sky and the waves were starting to thin out when he saw her paddle back to shore to pack up.</p><p>He didn't think much of it, until he came back out a couple days later, and there she was again.</p><p>It was warmer today - summer was coming in full force - and she had on a rashguard instead of a full wet suit. It showed off some very impressive tattoos, including a full sleeve on her left arm. "Nice ink," he commented.</p><p>She grinned and lifted her arm. He spotted a spray of flowers tangled with thorns on the forearm and a collection of birds in flight higher up. "Thanks. It's a work in progress."</p><p>"They always are," he replied, starting out into the water. He had a large backpeice he'd probably be working on until he died.</p><p>She nodded, clearly hearing the tone of experience in his voice. They floated a moment, both watching the horizon. "You going to be in town long?" she asked eventually.</p><p>"Do I look like I'm from out of town?"</p><p>"Well I haven't seen you in real clothes, so it's hard to judge. But you mentioned nieces and nephews waking you up which made me think you were staying with family."</p><p>"I travel a lot, but this is my legal residence. LA. I live with my brother. Granted, when we set it up it was before he got married."</p><p>"And have a bunch of kids?"</p><p>"Two came along with the wife." It was easier to just explain it that way. "Two more were born." </p><p>"Blended family," she said, in a vaguely exasperated tone. "I have my share of those."</p><p>AJ shrugged. "He's happy, and that used to seem impossible."</p><p>"That's good. Happy is hard to find."</p><p>He chuckled a little. "Probably high time I get my own place, though."</p><p>"Kid'll only get louder."</p><p>"Undoubtedly." He feel the pull under the water and turned to see the gathering wave. "Oh, here comes a good one."</p><p>She flashed a grin and paddled away, so they'd both have space to catch it without colliding.</p><p>He kept seeing her on the beach, and they'd always make a point to chat. Nothing too much, but it was pretty obvious she hadn't recognized him yet, and he kind of liked that. He probably was going to have to introduce himself eventually.</p><p>They'd been running into each other about a month when she took the initiative and said, "I'm Kat, by the way."</p><p>"AJ," he said. "Nice to meet you."</p><p>She leaned across the boards to shake hands. "You too. My friend is tired of me referring to you as the surfer guy I keep running into."</p><p>He grinned. "Well, if you're talking about me to your friends, we should definitely officially meet."</p><p>"You haven't mentioned me to your buddies?" she asked, putting a hand to her chest in mock offense. "I need to work on making impressions."</p><p>"These days most of my friends are somewhere else."</p><p>"I'd offer to let you borrow mine, but he's a lot."</p><p>"Just the one, eh? Not a social butterfly?"</p><p>She shrugged a little. "Busy, mostly. He's the only one with the patience to stick around."</p><p>"That. . . sounds uncomfortably familiar."</p><p>"Yeah?" She smiled. "Surfing workaholics, we could start a club."</p><p>"My brother and I are twins. He's been my best friend my entire life. Other people seemed like a lot of energy."</p><p>"I met Jeremy in college. He is a raging extravert who decided he needed a pet introvert. Over a decade later, here we are."</p><p>AJ smiled. "My brother and sister are both charming people-people. I am. . . not."</p><p>She held a fist out for him to bump in solidarity. "That's why we're out here with the waves."</p><p>"I miss this whenever I'm away."</p><p>"Ever surf anywhere else?"</p><p>"All over," he replied. If she asked him for a list he'd probably get questions he didn't feel like answering, because it had literally been all over the world. Instead he said, "Hawaii is my favorite."</p><p>Sure enough, that got one of her flashes of grin. Her face was very expressive, but never settled in one long. "I love Hawaii. Haven't been in a couple years, I should make time."</p><p>"I'd much rather surf in warm water." He looked over his shoulder. "Man, the waves are terrible today."</p><p>"Weather's changing," she said. "We're probably in for a couple boring mornings."</p><p>He sighed. "Better head in, gotta get to work. I'll see you around."</p><p>The next day, the waves were bad and the weather was middling, and yet somehow they both showed up anyway.</p><p>She wasn't in the water when he got there, and when he pulled up beside her Jeep she paused in getting her board off the roof. "You want to go get breakfast instead?" she asked when he opened his door.</p><p>He grinned at her. "Sounds like a great idea."</p><p>"There's a great diner up the road a bit." She pointed north. "You know it?"</p><p>"I do. Meet you there?" He didn't want to offer her a ride, his car was a mess and there was a rip in the seat that he really needed to get fixed.</p><p>George liked to needle him to get a new car. Having a dirty, ten-year-old Subaru parked among his fleet of luxury cars seemed to irk him. But there was nothing wrong with his car, and AJ wasn't one for toys.</p><p>"See you there." She refastened her board and hopped back behind the wheel. </p><p>The diner was less than ten minutes up the road and pretty empty at this time of day in the middle of the week. They sat in a corner booth and ordered coffee while scanning the menu. Dry and inside, he was able to study her a little closer. Her hair was short and dyed bright red, which probably took a lot of work, since he had her pegged as some branch of East Asian.</p><p>"The bacon here is pretty good," he said. Asking people about bacon was the best way to get them to tell you their dietary preferences. </p><p>"I assure you, I am already eyeing the country breakfast."</p><p>"Excellent. I dated a vegan once and it was intolerable."</p><p>She laughed. "I like milkshakes too much for that."</p><p>"It's common around here," he said. "In the kind of woman I seem to attract, anyway. They think it's more ethical, and they assume I'm on that boat." </p><p>"You do have a sort of. . . hippie crunchy vibe to you," she offered, waving her hands generally in his direction.</p><p>"Oh, I do, no doubt. I've just seen enough of the world to not be naive." He put his menu down. "I'd eat cruelty free if I could, but I'd be dead of starvation in a couple weeks."</p><p>"No ethical consumerism under capitalism," she said with a nod. "All you can do is your best and offset harm where you can. I'm so sick of being told I need to bike to work by people eating grains they need to cut down the rain forest to grow."</p><p>"I know I'm doing as much good in the world as I possibly can," he said. "That has to be enough."</p><p>"Exactly." The waitress came by with their coffee and they ordered. She did, indeed, get the country breakfast, with over easy eggs and french toast. She proceeded to dump cream and sugar in her coffee, till it was taupe.</p><p>He ordered huevos rancheros. "So besides surfing, what else do you do?"</p><p>"Work," she said, with another one of her flashed smiles. "Occasionally paint and watch true crime documentaries."</p><p>"I run and do yoga," he said. "Which doesn't help with the whole crunchy hippie thing, no."</p><p>"It does complete the package." She sipped her coffee and tilted her head, studying him. "You know what's funny? If you cleaned up a bit you'd probably look like George Stark. Anyone ever tell you that?"</p><p>AJ laughed, and then sighed. He'd lie—he usually did to casual acquaintances—but he kind of liked this woman. "Often." He held out his hand. "Anthony Newbury Stark-Potts, at your service."</p><p>She stared a moment, then laughed and took his hand. "I'm embarrassed. I should have recognized you, we're in the same business. Katarina Saito. I run Gaman Housing."</p><p>He grinned. "I have heard of that. Homeless shelters as SRO's, right?"</p><p>"Yeah. We're just about to open a second location."</p><p>He tilted his head. "How's your funding?"</p><p>This smile was wry. "I'm a non-profit, and I'm talking to the head of Stark Foundation, what do you expect me to say?"</p><p>"Seemed politer than just whipping out my checkbook."</p><p>She laughed and he noticed her nose crinkled. "I would be happy to have a meeting to discuss my five year plans. But no need to bring work to my one hour of me time in the mornings."</p><p>"That sounds perfectly fair and reasonable to me."</p><p>"But at least we know we have some common interests to chat about."</p><p>The waitress brought their food and they kept up a pretty constant stream of chatting, about all manner of things. It had been a long time since he'd had a meal with no awkward silences that wasn't attended by half his family.</p><p>"I think this might have been more enjoyable than surfing," he told her.</p><p>"It was a lot of fun," she agreed. "You're good company."</p><p>He grinned. "Thanks. I don't hear that too often."</p><p>"That surprises me." She paused studying him a moment. "Can I get your number?"</p><p>"Personal or business?"</p><p>"Well," she said slowly, a little half smile curling her mouth. "That's probably up to you. But I wouldn't say no to personal."</p><p>"I will give you my number instead of my assistant's, in that case."</p><p>"Good. I would hate to booty call your assistant."</p><p>AJ grinned. "You really would, she's pushing 70."</p><p>"Mmm, yeah. I'm open minded but that's an age gap I cannot get over."</p><p>He laughed. "You know, I'm really glad the weather was shitty today."</p><p>She lifted her coffee cup as if to toast. "Here's to more bad weather."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You did not tell AJ Stark you would booty call him."</p>
<p>Kat hid a smile at Jeremy's offended socialite tone and lifted her arms so he could continue pinning his latest creation on her. "I did, in fact, imply I would booty call AJ Stark-Potts."</p>
<p>"I both hate and envy you. Tell me more." It was really remarkable how much he could get around a mouthful of pins.</p>
<p>"There's not much more to tell. He gave me his number, insisted on paying for breakfast, and we went our separate ways."</p>
<p>"When are you going to call him?"</p>
<p>Wasn't that the million dollar question? "Not sure."</p>
<p>"Now you have lost your mind."</p>
<p>"You know. . . I'm just really busy with the home right now. . ."</p>
<p>"Why did you ask him for his number then?"</p>
<p>Kat pressed her mouth together. "Seemed the thing to do."</p>
<p>He jammed a pin in rather ferociously. "You mean you were doing your thing where you have to control every interaction with a new person so you can be sure they don't actually get behind any of your walls?"</p>
<p>"Clearly, you don't even need me for this conversation."</p>
<p>"After all these years, I really don't."</p>
<p>This was the problem with friends who had been there for your angsty college years. They knew your unhealthy coping mechanisms better than you do. "I suppose he wouldn't have given me his number if he didn't want me to call."</p>
<p>"You couldn't get a phone number out of a guy like that with a shotgun if he didn't want you to call."</p>
<p>"Maybe I should check to see if it's really his number. Maybe he just gave me the number for his favorite Chinese place."</p>
<p>"And then booty call him while you're at it?" Jeremy sounded absurdly hopeful when he said that.</p>
<p>She sighed and fidgeted, getting a pin to the hip. "He was very booty callable."</p>
<p>"I imagine so. You know, I sort of hooked up with his brother once," he said, as if she hadn't heard this story 85 times. "Paris Fashion Week. Or was that Milan? I just remember the party at some supermodel's place. I think I'd had enough cocaine to resurrect Montezuma." </p>
<p>"I don't think I'll tell him that my best friend has given his brother a blow job. If it's all the same to you."</p>
<p>"That's fair. I'm only brining this up because they're identical, so it's relevant—but like, really nice cock. Uncut, very straight, good girth but not so much I felt like I was suffocating."</p>
<p>"That's good to know." She tried to lace it with sarcasm, but it was good information to have. There was a shortage of perfect cocks in the world. Nice to know she might soon have access to one.</p>
<p>He leaned back, and then stood and stepped back, to look at her. "I think that's good."</p>
<p>"Cool." He helped her ease out of it, and he took it over to his work table while she got her normal clothes on. "Always happy to be a dress form for you."</p>
<p>"And you always look so awesome in them."</p>
<p>"I am more or less a hanger with legs."</p>
<p>Jeremy eyed her for a moment. "I'll get you the finished version after you call him."</p>
<p>She stuck her tongue out at him. "Isn't there some rule about waiting seventy- two hours?"</p>
<p>"Oh, Katrina, don't be one of <i>those</i> guys."</p>
<p>Pulling her shirt back on, she ruffled her hair back into shape. "I have an early morning tomorrow, so debauchery is not on tonight's menu. But I promise, by the end of the week, I will get some."</p>
<p>"I will give you to the weekend. We are getting old."</p>
<p>"You are a kind and giving soul."</p>
<p>Kat called AJ on Thursday afternoon. When he answered the background noise hit her ears first, and it sounded like he was on an airplane. Instead of hello, he said, “And here I thought you must have googled me and changed your mind.”</p>
<p>"Why would googling you make you less attractive?”</p>
<p>“I had a bet with a couple of my cousins about who could go the longest without shaving.”</p>
<p>Kat grinned. She was definitely going to have to google that. "Did you win?”</p>
<p>“Sadly, no. I was on the ground with relief efforts after the volcano in Indonesia and needed to shave for the respirator.”</p>
<p>"A worthy reason." She glanced out her window and the cluster of birds fighting over her bird feeder. "Did I catch you at a bad time? There's a lot of noise in the background.”</p>
<p>“Not at all, you’re saving me from paperwork. I’m on a plane at the moment.”</p>
<p>"Going to LA or away from it?”</p>
<p>“To. I had a meeting in Tunis and then I had to go size up the prince my sister is dating. Now I’m on my way home.”</p>
<p>"Do you think once you get in you'd be up for- Wait, did you say your sister is dating a prince?”</p>
<p>“Yep. A real one. Has a castle and everything. Nice dude. Clearly gets her, you know? Which is tough, Ruby is like an onion inside a Russian nesting doll.”</p>
<p>Kat laughed. "Maybe he likes a challenge?”</p>
<p>“He’d almost have to.” AJ paused. “I would, by the way. Be up for.”</p>
<p>"Oh." She felt her cheeks heat. "Good. So would I."</p>
<p>“I am landing at Santa Monica in an hour or two, and I’m in town until Monday.”</p>
<p>"I was initially going to ask what you were doing tonight, but if you want a day to get over the jet lag I'm free after 4:30 tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“I’m a Stark, we don’t do jet lag.”</p>
<p>"Genetically immune?" she teased.</p>
<p>She could hear the smile in his voice. “Something like that.”</p>
<p>"Well, then. I'll text you my address and see you in a couple hours?”</p>
<p>“Sounds like a plan.”</p>
<p>"See you then. Safe flight.”</p>
<p>Two and a half hours later, he was knocking on her door. He’d said he had meetings, so for some reason she’d expected some manner of suit, but he was wearing a well-worn gray t-shirt and jeans. Tattoos crawled down his biceps from beneath the sleeves and stubble darkened his jaw. Leaning against the hallway wall across from her door with his arms crossed he looked ten times as hot has he had sitting in that diner—and that was saying something.</p>
<p>"Hi," she said around a sudden lump in her throat. "Come on in. Are you hungry? I ordered some bao.”</p>
<p>He pushed off the wall and followed her inside. “I will never say no to bao."</p>
<p>She closed the door behind him and lead him over to the kitchen. "Drink preference?"</p>
<p>“Do you have some manner of tea?”</p>
<p>"Black, white, or barley?”</p>
<p>That got a grin. “White. Thank you.”</p>
<p>She fetched a mug from her cabinet. "Bao's on the counter in the pink box if you want to start picking." She got down her loose leaf tea, 'cause a girl likes to impress sometimes, and brought him a steeping mug of white jasmine tea while was still studying the contents of the bao box. "I gave you the dinosaur tea diffuser 'cause I'm cool like that."</p>
<p>“Dinosaurs are awesome,” he said, selecting one of the steamed buns. “I went through a phase,” he added. </p>
<p>"Doesn't everyone?”</p>
<p>He grinned and then put his hand over his mouth so his food didn’t fall out. A bit of pork escaped the bun and landed on his wrist, which he proceeded to lick off. He has an absolutely adorable lack of artifice, odd for someone that good looking and particularly interesting given he was the spitting image of someone regularly on the cover of GQ.</p>
<p>She selected a cheeseburger bun and sat next to him at the counter, drinking a coke. "How was Tunis?”</p>
<p>“Hot,” he replied. </p>
<p>"Do you prefer heat or cold?”</p>
<p>“As long as one is dressed appropriately, there is something to be enjoyed at every temperature.”</p>
<p>She sucked cheese off her thumb. "That's a magazine interview answer."</p>
<p>“Maybe, but it’s true. The only thing I can’t stand is monotony.”</p>
<p>"That why you travel a lot?”</p>
<p>He nodded. “Different places, different people, different sounds. Plus my work is genuinely international, and I like to be involved.” He picked up another bun. “Plus travel makes for better conversation than water purification systems and parasitic infections, which is what my meetings were about.”</p>
<p>"Maybe I find water purification fascinating," she teased, sipping her coke. "Carbon filter or reverse osmosis?”</p>
<p>“RO and UV decontamination, but it depends on the infrastructure. Am I improving life in a village or am I trying to keep cholera out of a refugee camp?” He gestured with his chopsticks. “Though in this case it was actually amoebic dysentery—hence, parasites and I promise you we will never get naked tonight if we start talking about that.”</p>
<p>She laughed, stretching past him to get another bun. "Well, my day of work wasn't any more pre-sex talk friendly. Shall we move onto the local sports team?”</p>
<p>“I mean. . .I think one exists? George would probably know.”</p>
<p>"We're bad at this small talk thing.”</p>
<p>He met her eyes and held them. “So how about we skip it?”</p>
<p>Reaching out, she wiped a little dollop of sauce off his lower lip with her thumb. "Sounds good."</p>
<p>He caught her hand, lifting it to kiss the inside of her wrist. Then he stood, tugging her up with him. Her body collided with his and he kissed her.</p>
<p>She sighed, wrapping her other arm around his waist. He was very sturdy and warm. And an <i>excellent</i> kisser. He cupped the back of her head with one hand, holding her in place so he could take his time exploring her mouth. He took his time, but eventually his hands began to wander. Down her back, over her ass, up to cup her breasts.</p>
<p>Kat was a modest B cup, guys tended to give them only perfunctory interest. So it was very nice to feel him shaping and exploring them as if he planned to stay awhile. He quickly seemed to decide her tank top was in the way, and yanked it up over her head. </p>
<p>She tugged his t-shirt, returning the favor when he lifted his arms. His torso was wrapped in what looked like an old fashioned world map, with wildly inaccurate landmasses and little drawings of sea serpents. It surprised a laugh out of her and she traced the coast line of what was probably supposed to be Africa. "Well, that distracts my ADHD brain immediately.”</p>
<p>“If we’re comparing tattoos, turn around, I want to see if the geisha on your back is really naked.”</p>
<p>"Alas, no." But she did turn so he could see the almost scandalously drooping robe she was wearing. "I decided to keep it classy. And badass." Said geisha was armed with a sword and had a fierce looking dragon backing her up. </p>
<p>She could feel him trace the lines over her spine, and then he kissed the back of her neck, reaching around to cup both breasts. “I like her.” He popped the top button of her jeans. “Does make me want to bend you over something.”</p>
<p>"I have no complaints," she said. "Keep me from getting distracted from your map when I should be paying attention to other things.”</p>
<p>“If you’re distracted by the map, I’m doing something wrong,” he told her, hand sliding down beneath the fly.</p>
<p>She leaned back, resting against the solid wall of his chest, to give him better access. "You underestimate the power of my ADHD and fidgeting.”</p>
<p>His fingertips stroked over her clit. “Maybe.”</p>
<p>Her breath came out in a rush and she shuddered. He pressed a little firmer and she arched into him, closing her eyes to enjoy it thoroughly. He was in absolutely no hurry, but he wasn’t casual about it either. It seemed a very deliberate exploration, and she knew she was soaking his hand. Made it easy to slip a couple of fingers inside her.</p>
<p>"Fuck," she whispered, body clenching around them. She rocked deliberately against his hand, pleasure skittering along her nerves. Clearly taking that has a request, he moved his fingers in her rhythm, fucking her slowly with them while the heel of his hand ground against her clit. She could feel him hard pressing against her, and thought how easy it would be for him to just push her against the counter and shove her jeans down.</p>
<p>Still, he teased and stroked her, focusing on her pleasure until it started to crest and flooded her. She sagged back against him, shuddering her release as she pulsed around his fingers.</p>
<p>AJ made a humming noise and kissed her shoulder. “Ah, are you one of those women?”</p>
<p>That was way too vague for her current level of coherence. "Clarify. More information required.”</p>
<p>“That was a very swift and efficient orgasm. Will there be more, or did I rush you?”</p>
<p>"Oh, there will most certainly be more." She wiggled against him. "I'm pretty easy.”</p>
<p>“Good.” He spun her around and kissed her, deep and explicit. He pushed her jeans off her hips and she wiggled to help him get them off without breaking the kiss. Before she could reach for his, he lifted her up and set her on the counter. He rand his hands over her legs and bent to kiss her breasts.</p>
<p>The noise that came out of her was mostly surprise, but quickly blended into pleasure. She tangled her hands in his hair, then ran them down his back, tracking lines on his map. His mouth moved downward, lips brushing along her ribs, over her navel. It was obvious where he was going, but she was swinging back towards surprise. Straight guys did not usually have this kind of patience.</p>
<p>But, Jesus, did this man know what to do with his mouth.</p>
<p>She ended up with her legs over his shoulders, braced back against her elbows as he licked and sucked his way to her second orgasm of the night. This one came slower, and hotter, melting her from the inside out and leaving her twitching and arching long after he'd moved his mouth away.</p>
<p>When she got her eyes open, he’d straightened up, and was rubbing her knee gently while he drank his mug of what now must be cold tea, dinosaur diffuser still hanging over the side. “How’s the ADHD doing?” he asked conversationally.</p>
<p>"Can't even spell it.”</p>
<p>“Excellent.” He took another swig of tea, put the mug on the counter, and then held out his arms to help her down.</p>
<p>Kat gripped his forearms as she gingerly slid off. She continued to hold them as she wasn't sure her legs would hold her up. "So far, A+ booty call.”</p>
<p>He mumbled something in agreement and kissed her again. She could taste need and a little desperation in it. When he asked “Where’s your bedroom?” there was a bit of a growl to his voice.</p>
<p>She gestured to the back of the apartment. "Stairs. Loft.”</p>
<p>“Fucking stairs,” he muttered, but he scooped her up all the same. She squeaked in surprise, but he was already heading in the direction she had pointed. He took the narrow steps up two at a time. The loft was just big enough for her bed, night stand and a couple dressers. She'd made a halfhearted attempt at cleaning it and changing the sheets when she'd gotten home from work, so at least the path to said bed was cleared.</p>
<p>He dropped her down on it and came down on top of her, his body pressing her into the mattress. She wrapped her legs around his waist and ground herself against his erection. The denim was rough and she was so wet and sensitive it felt really good—though at this point it was probably nearly painful for him.</p>
<p>She reached down and tugged the button of his fly open, then unzipped it, freeing his erection into her waiting hand.</p>
<p>Jeremy's songs of praise about George Stark's cock ranged from hilarious to embarrassing, depending on context. But she had to admit, this was a very nice one.</p>
<p>AJ groaned and rocked into her hand. She stroked him and he shuddered, and then got out, “Left back pocket.” </p>
<p>She kissed him and reached around to dig the foil packet out of his pocket. She had to let him go to open it and he took the opportunity to lean back and get his jeans off. When he did, she was treated to a view of his <i>very</i> nice ass, adorned with an elaborate dragon tattoo that trailed down his thighs.</p>
<p>He returned to her, kneeling between her legs while she sat up enough to roll the condom on. Then he pulled her closer, hooking his arms under her knees to hold her where he wanted. He slid his cock over her slick, swollen sex before slowly, slowly pushing into her. </p>
<p>Air hissed through her teeth and she tipped her head back, arching into him as he bottomed out. He was delightfully large, filling and stretching her. He leaned down and she slide her legs up his arms, bending to make her passage tighter around him. A decade of gymnastics and martial arts had a variety of uses.</p>
<p>She had her knees up to her chest and him buried as deep as he could get when he started to fuck her in in earnest. It was hard and fast, the kind that shook the bed, but not at all out of control. She dug her hand in his hair and held out, reveling in the friction and pressure building up.</p>
<p>His mouth found hers and she kissed him roughly, biting his lower lip. She rocked up to him, tensing and relaxing as he thrust into her. It grew to be too much and she choked out his name,  nails digging into his arm as she shuddered into her hardest climax of the night.</p>
<p>“God, I can feel that,” he groaned. He dug his fingers into her flesh as lifted her ass up off the bed, pushing as deep as he could and going still while she clenched and pulsed around him. Then reached between them and pressed his thumb against her clit because he was clearly some kind of sadist. It straddled the line between pleasure and pain, but in just the right way and the tail end of her orgasm curled up into a fluttering little encore.</p>
<p>He sank down onto her and she nipped a warning on his shoulder so he'd move his hand away. For a few moments they relaxed together, breathing hard and floating in the after glow. Eventually he seemed to muster his energy and roll off her to dispose of the condom.</p>
<p>He stretched out next to her on his back, still trying to catch his breath. After a moment he bumped his leg against hers. “Hey.”</p>
<p>"Hi," she murmured, one arm flung over her eyes. "Fancy meeting you here."</p>
<p>“I also rate this Booty Call an A+”</p>
<p>"I agree. Top notch.”</p>
<p>There was a stretch of silence, and then he said, “I’m hungry, you mind if I go get the rest of the bao?”</p>
<p>"Mmm, I'll come with, I'm starving." She stretched and twisted to pop one of her hip joints before getting to her feet.</p>
<p>He pulled a pair of boxers from the pile with his jeans. The print was pictures of steaks, beer cans, and monster trucks, which seemed very. . . out of character.</p>
<p>Kat tugged on a robe she tied loosely. "Gag gift?" she asked as she followed him downstairs.</p>
<p>He looked down and laughed. “It’s a family thing. I don’t usually wear them in front of women.” He went down the stairs. “A long time ago—back during the original Avengers—someone in an interview asked my Aunt Amanda some inappropriate question about her underthings while fighting. My father, never one to miss a punchline, interjected that he liked underwear with beef, beer and big wheel tires them in order to feel manly. This was on live TV. So my mother saw it, thought it was hilarious, and had the print made. In industrial quantities, somehow, so everybody got a pair. A couple years later Dad had a set made a gag gift for the second generation Avengers, and then us boys, and then at some point it morphed into a family tradition.” They reached the kitchen. “If a boy is born or a man marries into the family, they get something in this print.” </p>
<p>"Damn, your family takes in-jokes seriously.”</p>
<p>He picked up a bun. They were cold now but he clearly didn’t care. “If my sister marries this prince of hers—which I feel could happen—explaining it to him is going to be funny.” He looked down at them. “A print run was just done to make a few onesies for the son my brother just had, so I got these.” </p>
<p>"You should make the prince a cape from it," she said, peering in the box and finding one of the dessert buns.</p>
<p>“It’s generally underthings, outside of the kids. I have a cousin who’s non-binary who has it in a bra, I believe.”</p>
<p>She took a bit of her bun and sucked some custard out. "I'd make a dress. That's a banging Fourth of July print.”</p>
<p>“Gold digging for the apparel, not the fortune. I can respect that.”</p>
<p>"This is LA, a girl has to have her own schtick to get noticed.”</p>
<p>“So we gonna do this again?” he asked her. </p>
<p>Oh, thank the stars he'd brought it up. She was afraid she was going to start bordering on groupie if she kept instigating. "Absolutely. This was a lot of fun.”</p>
<p>He grinned at her. “Would tomorrow be too soon?”</p>
<p>She returned the grin. "Not at all. Plenty of time to stock up on more condoms.”</p>
<p>AJ paused a moment, and took a drink. “I feel like we’re on the same page? In need of entertainment, not entanglement?”</p>
<p>"Totally," she said, polishing off her bun. "I'm too busy to have anything like a relationship. I imagine you're the same, if not worse. But you're a good conversationalist and even better in bed. So I'm happy to hook up as long as it works for us both.”</p>
<p>It worked very well for them Friday evening, too. They woke up Saturday morning early and went surfing, got brunch and then went back to her place and didn’t emerge until they ran out of condoms sometime Sunday afternoon.</p>
<p>Monday afternoon he was on his way to China, and she was waiting in line at the pharmacy to pick up medication for a UTI. Which was about when Jeremy texted her. <i>So did you fuck him or what?</i> </p>
<p>Well, at least he'd be proud of her. <i>Several times. We broke my girl parts.</i></p>
<p>
  <i>You’re shitting me? I love you. Call me.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I'm in public, gimme twenty and I'll let you live vicariously.</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>I wait with bated breath.</i>
</p>
<p>She got her prescription, loaded up on water and snacks, then headed home to put on her comfiest yoga pants and call Jeremy.</p>
<p>"You're right, it's an excellent dick," she told him when he answered.</p>
<p>“I had wondered if the cocaine had altered my memory.”</p>
<p>"It was very impressive and he knew exactly what to do with it." She tore open her bag of Doritos, settling on her couch. "We basically fucked the weekend away.”</p>
<p>Jeremy made a noise of approval. “Weekend long one night stand is a feat.”</p>
<p>"Actually, I think it's going to turn into some kind of friends with benefits thing. At least when we're both in town.”</p>
<p>“Man, you are living the dream.” He paused. “As long as you’re happy.”</p>
<p>"I am," she assured him. "He's good company in and out of bed.”</p>
<p>“Though clearly you need to pace yourselves.”</p>
<p>"Yeah." She winced. "We got a little carried away."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>AJ’s brother had a new baby, and three other small children. They had a nanny and a housekeeper, too. It was a big house, but there were still a lot of people in it, all the time. It wasn’t quiet. If ever there was a cause for him to take advantage of any and all reasons to stay out of town, it was this.</p><p>Instead, he did just the opposite. He found himself engineering his schedule so that if he could swing through LA, he did. He and Kat were pretty discreet, and the few times they were photographed in a restaurant, people looked up her job and dismissed it as a business meeting. They had plenty of peace and privacy, and it was really nice to just. . . be.</p><p>Sometimes when he was home, he did stay home. Usually because Kat was busy or indisposed, but occasionally because George roped him into something. Like helping him look after his kids so Amelia could do something that didn’t involve tiny sticky fingers. </p><p>“So I’ve been resisting asking. . .” </p><p>AJ looked up from the play-dough dog he was helping Milo make. “Yet you seem to be.”</p><p>“Because it’s killing me,” George said. “Where the hell are you sleeping when you’re not here? Please don’t say the office.”</p><p>“I have a fu-” He caught himself before he said Fuck Buddy in front of his four year old nephew. “I have a special friend.”</p><p>George clearly heard the implied naughty word anyway. "Oh <i>really</i>? For this long?"</p><p>“Couple months. It’s just recreational, we’re too busy for anything else.”</p><p>"Well good for you. Glad I don't have to worry about you on a cot in your back office."</p><p>“Excuse me, boys,” FRIDAY said. It amused AJ a lot she still called them ‘boys’ but neither of them ever asked her to change. “I have a call from Miss Ruby.”</p><p>George glanced up. "If she's okay talking to both of us, our her through.”</p><p>“Hey,” Ruby said a moment later. “I didn’t want you to see on the news, but Dad had ribbon cutting thing today and passed out in the middle of it. An ambulance was called and I’m on my way to the hospital, as is Aunt Amanda. FRIDAY said he’s conscious, but not much other info. "I don't know if it's serious, if you want to wait until I know more before getting on a plane."</p><p>They exchanged a look. ”I'll talk to Amelia," George said. "But I'll try to come out. Hospital counts as serious in my book.”</p><p>"Me too," AJ said, standing up. It was far, far easier for him to just hop on a flight than George. "Whatever is going on, you shouldn't have to handle it alone."</p><p>Ruby sighed a little. "Thank you.”</p><p>When she disconnected, AJ said, “If I hurry, I can catch a red eye.” </p><p>"Go," George said. "I gotta talk to Amelia and we'll need to figure some stuff out. I don't want you to wait for me.”</p><p>Ruby texted them an hour later to tell them it wasn’t serious at all, and not to worry. AJ bought a plane ticket anyway. He was standing in LAX in the security line when she called back. “I know you’re busy, I just need someone to keep an eye on him and help him up if he falls. Just for a few days.”</p><p>“It’s totally fine, Ruby,” he told her. “My week is pretty clear.” Total lie. But she sounded stressed and exhausted. She did that a lot when dealing with their parents, and AJ felt guilty he wasn’t in New York more. “George and Amelia’s nanny is at her sister’s wedding, I don’t think they can handle travel, honestly. But that’s got to come from you.”</p><p>"I'll talk to him. And Mom'll back me if I need to." She sighed. "She'll be happy to see you, though. She's not letting on how worried she is.”</p><p>“Sounds about par for the course."</p><p>"Yeah, pretty much. Aunt Amanda is on it, though. That helps.”</p><p>“My flight may be delayed, there’s weather in the midwest. But I’ll be in by morning. Hang in there.”</p><p>“Thanks, Junior,” she replied.</p><p>As he hung up, a text came in from Kat. <i>I heard in the news about your dad, you need anything?</i></p><p>
  <i>Forgiveness for standing you up tomorrow. He’ll be fine btw. But I need to go help Ruby.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Forgiveness obviously granted. Even my family manages to show up for hospitalization.</i>
</p><p>He had a strange, fleeting wish that she could come with him. <i>I’ll call you tomorrow.</i></p><p>
  <i>Safe flight. Let me know if you need me to do anything out here.</i>
</p><p>AJ’s flight was as gratuitously late as expected, then he had to get a cab at JFK. He texted Ruby when he landed to let her know he was inbound, and didn’t know if he should worry about the lack of response.</p><p>The weirdest thing was that when he got off the elevator on his father’s floor, there were armed guards in the hallway. Of course, this was the luxury floor—hospitals in NY and LA and quite a few other places tended to have them. Someone rich and famous was probably here, and now he was going to have to deal with their meatheads before he could find his sister.</p><p>They watched him as he came in, but didn't approach him. Ruby had texted him his dad's room number. It had a private waiting room, which was where a lot of the guards were congregated, and did a double take when he spotted Ruby sitting in there with her prince.</p><p>Ruby was asleep on Dorian’s shoulder, but he looked up when AJ came in. Over the summer AJ had dropped by the castle while he was in Europe to extend a surprise party invitation from Edie Barnes, and size the guy up. Someone who was considering taking his big sister off to a foreign country had better be worthy.</p><p>The prince had come from Europe. He must have a private jet, granted, but given the flight time AJ figured he had to have been in the air while AJ and George were still picking up play dough while FRIDAY booked the flight. </p><p>AJ nodded in approval, and held out his hand.</p><p>With an understanding smile, Dorian reached over and shook it. Ruby stirred, and then leapt up to hug her brother. When she straightened, Dorian stood and put a hand one her back. “I have a car downstairs, and you need sleep in a real bed,” he told her.</p><p>Ruby gestured towards one of the other doors. “I should stay, my mother will be back, and. . .”</p><p>"I'm sure your brother will be able to help your mother with anything she needs. You haven't slept.” Dorian was just sort of rubbing her back and gently nudging her towards the door. She mumbled protests, and he murmured reassurances, until they glided into the hallway and she clearly gave in.</p><p>AJ just stared. He had never in his life seen someone successfully handle Ruby like that.</p><p>On of the guards shrugged and grinned at him before following the prince down the hall.</p><p>AJ went to go see his dad, who smiled when he saw him. "Dorian manage to get Ruby out of here?"</p><p>“It was impressive,” AJ replied. “Clearly she’s met her match.”</p><p>"Seems so. It's good. She needs someone to settle her." He grinned. "More like me than she likes to think.”</p><p>AJ sat in the chair. “I see both of you in all three of us.”</p><p>He inclined his head. "True. We did a decent job with the two of you. Only a couple issues here and there."</p><p>“Oh, just a couple,” AJ said with a laugh. He stretched his legs out in front of him. “George told me once that at therapy sessions and AA meetings people are always mining for childhood trauma. He drank because he liked drinking.”</p><p>"He can borrow some of mine, if he liked. Though, I also just liked drinking.”</p><p>“There’s a reason I never started. No matter how many times he and Roger and Joe called me a buzzkill.”</p><p>"With perhaps one major exception, you always have been more responsible than your brother.”</p><p>“At least that was for a good cause.” When he was younger, AJ had given his entire trust fund to charity and then realized he had no way to pay his bills.</p><p>"It was. Far better than all the massively irresponsible things I did at that age.”</p><p>“It’s really kind of a miracle you’ve made it this far.”</p><p>"It's entirely your mother and aunt's fault.”</p><p>AJ was quiet a bit. “I know one day that phone call is going to come and it <i>won’t</i> turn out to be minor. Come home and bring a black suit.”</p><p>His father sighed a little. "We're all mortal, son. Even me. And between you, me, and the blood pressure machine, I've cheated death more than most. When I go, I'll go. I had a far better run than I deserved.”</p><p>“This year about 1500 people died of malaria. The year Iron Man was born it was three-quarters of a million. We’ve got it down to a couple dozen clusters. You should hang on a couple more years, see it done.” </p><p>"That is the goal. Aunt Amanda's determined to get me to my centennial. I'm happy to let her.”</p><p>“Thanks for trusting me with your legacy.”</p><p>Dad reached out and patted his hand. "You're doing a great job. Changing the world. I'm very proud of you.”</p><p>“Thank you,” AJ said, inclining his head. “I did know that. You should make sure you tell the other two though. They both think each other is the favorite child and they’re a disappointment."</p><p>"I already had that chat with Ruby," he told him. "But I'll make sure to get all weepy with George soon.”</p><p>“Before you die. Don’t do the creepy funeral letter.”</p><p>"My funeral letters will be coded messages to you all leading you to the greatest treasure of all.”</p><p>“Dad, I already have all your money.”</p><p>"No, no. You see, the real treasure is the love you find along the way.”</p><p>“You’re plotting a hallmark movie, I see the medication has kicked in.”</p><p>"It certainly has." He shifted and closed his eyes. "Your mother will be happy to see you when she comes back.”</p><p>“Get some sleep, Dad.”</p><p>His mother was, in fact, happy to see him. And happy that Dorian had shown up and taken Ruby home. Aunt Amanda let Dad go home mid day, and then AJ was occupied with running errands for them and getting everything set up.</p><p>He should have been exhausted by the time he crawled into bed, but he found himself wide awake. So he called Kat.</p><p>"Hey," she answered. "How're things going over there?”</p><p>“My father is home safe and still full of snark so I know his mind is still working.”<br/>
"Glad to hear it. So it wasn't serious?”</p><p>He sat down on the guest room bed to take his shoes off. “Low blood sugar and then he cracked his head when he fell. He’ll be fine.”</p><p>"You all must be relieved. Is he a good patient?”</p><p>“I think it’s been beaten into him after all these years. My Aunt Amanda takes no shit.” He tossed his clothes in the general direction of his bag.</p><p>"Good for her. You gonna stay out there and visit for a few days?"</p><p>“Ruby’s birthday party is this weekend—it’s a huge thing. So I’m probably just going to stay through that to help my parents.”</p><p>"Okay." He heard her stifle a yawn. "Sorry, rough night last night. You're not boring.”</p><p>“Good rough or bad rough?”</p><p>"Eh, bad, with a good ending. A friend who runs a DV shelter called with an emergency. A woman and three kids needed somewhere to stay this morning, and she didn't have space. I did, but it hadn't been cleaned for turn around. So I had to call in some favors to get it ready, and get some extra security in the building while she's dealing with her restraining order stuff.”</p><p>“Do you have a lot of security issues?”</p><p>"Mmm, not really. It's been a while since we had a resident with active DV issues. Mostly people keep to themselves and are quiet. But it's not the <i>greatest</i> part of town so I have a night watchman who does sweeps for drug dealers or the like.”</p><p>"We have program at the Foundation that was set up not long ago to provide small protective devices to women with restraining orders. Ruby has a very sophisticated one in lieu of having a bodyguard, and when one was made for Amelia she insisted George figure out how to make a stripped down version for regular women. Her ex was abusive.”</p><p>"What sort of sexual favors should I offer the get some of those?”</p><p>“How many do you need?”</p><p>"i'll start with four for this lady and her kids. But a couple more to have in reserve wouldn't go amiss.”</p><p>“No problem at all.” He got into bed and stretched out. He really kind of wished she was here. “Did I tell you Ruby’s prince showed up?”</p><p>"Seriously? Isn't he in Europe? He must've broke the sound barrier.”</p><p>“I think literally. They came on a military plane. Why a country that tiny has an air force, I have no idea, but they do.”</p><p>"He must really like her. To do that for her.”</p><p>“Oh, he clearly loves her. The night you first called me, I was flying back from meeting him—I was in Europe and the family asked me to. We had a whole conversation about how she sucks at self-care, and he seems really good at managing that. Watching them together reminds me of my parents.”</p><p>He could hear a smile in her voice. "That's good. Are you doing okay? You don't have anyone handling you.”</p><p>“I’m the the best one in my family at self-regulation. I’m going to go find a yoga class tomorrow and hope it’s not filled with assholes.” </p><p>"In New York? What are the odds?”</p><p>He laughed. Then he said, “Tell me to piss off if this is a touchy subject, but it occurs to me I’ve never heard much about your family. They assholes?”</p><p>She blew out a breath, drawing out into a raspberry at the end. "Some of them. My mom is super toxic, my dad is fine but very stereotypical Japanese business man so other than my good grades and gymnast medals he was never sure what to do with me. I have a step mom who's nice enough, three step fathers who I wouldn't pee on if they were on fire. I've got one full brother, five half siblings, and, like, nine step siblings. I like two of them, tolerate three more and don't have contact information for most of the rest.”</p><p>“That’s. . . impressive.”</p><p>"It's mostly my mother, Karen. Always on the look out for her next ex-husband.”</p><p>“Lucky humber 5?”</p><p>There was a pause. "Yeah, I think the current one is five. I might have missed one in my late teens.”</p><p>“I suppose I wouldn’t talk about that much, either."</p><p>"It's definitely a different vibe than your family, yeah.”</p><p>He sighed. “Would it be too much to tell you I wish you were here? Because I kinda do.”</p><p>"It's not too much," she told him, voice gentle. "I wish I was there, too. I've been at loose ends, feeling like I can't do anything to help you.”</p><p>“This helps. It does.” He was very tempted to ask her if she wanted to hitch a ride with George and his family out from LA, and come to the party. But he didn’t want to ambush her with his family. Or upstage Ruby because they were all obsessed with the new face. “I’ll be home on Sunday. Keep the bed warm.”</p><p>"Will do. Maybe I'll cook you something fun."</p><p>*</p><p>Kat talked to AJ a couple more times while he was in New York, then they had a very fun reunion on Sunday. She had planned to work from home of Monday, partially to stay up late with him and partially to make up for her late nights the week before. So on Monday they slept in and she made him fluffy Japanese pancakes smothered in syrup and melted butter.</p><p>“My sister got engaged,” he commented around a mouthful of pancake. “He gave her a tiara.”</p><p>Kat expertly flipped the last on onto her plate. "I guess when you're royalty you gotta go big or go home.”</p><p>“Hey, she’s happy.” He grinned and then took another bite. “I do have some less fun news.”</p><p>"Hang on." She put an obscene amount of butter on her pancakes and took a bite. "Okay, I'm ready.”</p><p>“I’m going to be in Bangladesh for five or six weeks, and in Hawaii until early January.”</p><p>She was surprised at the little pang of disappointment she felt at his words. She'd kind of been hoping he'd be around for Christmas. Which was a silly thing to wish about your fuck buddy, but still. "One of those sounds more fun than the other.”</p><p>“One is for work, one is a family thing.”</p><p>"Christmas in Hawaii?”</p><p>“Yeah. My parents have an estate on Kauai. We went every year for Christmas most of my childhood and my parents kind of snowbirded there. Aunt Amanda was worried about Dad being that isolated for health reasons, so we stayed local last year. This year someone came up with the brilliant plan to take the entire Barnes family with us, which includes 3 doctors, and to retrofit the helicopter for medvac.”</p><p>His family really didn't do things halfway. "Sounds safe as houses." She sipped her coffee. "Good surfing that time of year, I'm jealous.”</p><p>“It’s fun. But it’s. . .a lot. They are a lot. Part of the motivation for Bangladesh is my parents are moving out to California and are going to stay at our house while they shop for one of their own. Last time it felt pretty crowded.”</p><p>"That does sound like a lot of people in one house. Even a big one." She ate a couple bites of pancake. "Well, I'll miss you and our acrobatic sex.”</p><p>“Me too,” he said. “I’m sure you’ll find a way to carry on.”</p><p>"I suppose. And clearly reunions are fun.”</p><p>“That I very much look forward to.”</p><p>She smiled and leaned over to kiss him, messy and syrupy as they were, before going back to her breakfast.</p><p>AJ left for Bangladesh two weeks later. Kat found herself feeling surprisingly at loose ends. It had not occurred to her how much of her social life had involved him recently. Not to mention a couple Netflix shows she couldn't watch because he'd fall behind. Jeremy talked her into coming to one of his parties once. She drank more than she normally did and brought home a very pretty model with red curls and freckles everywhere. Kat made her breakfast in the morning, since it seemed polite, and felt vaguely awkward until she left.</p><p>The only saving grace was that Christmas was a busy time of year for her. Organizing resident and employee Christmas parties, tracking donations, signing thank you notes for said donations and trying to get a head start on her very complicated taxes meant long hours and not a lot of headspace for much else.</p><p>She had her usual Christmas Eve dinner with her dad and step mother and a collection of half-and-step-siblings and their families. She was one of the oldest "kids" but the only one left not married or engaged. It stung a bit, but she chatted about work and gave her nieces and nephew tiny gifts and enjoyed the silence once she got home. Christmas Day was spent on her couch watching old movies and eating gourmet ramen.</p><p>Jeremy insisted she come to his New Years party, which was as raucous as it had been in their college years. She went home early.</p><p>AJ texted her the end of the week to tell her he was back home.</p><p><i>I missed you</i>, she replied. <i>Come over</i>.</p><p>Ten minutes later she got another text. <i>I’m on the 110. It’s a parking lot. I’ll be there sometime in the next 9 hours.</i> she wondered a moment how he ended up on that freeway between Malibu and here, and then realized he must be coming straight from the airport.</p><p>
  <i>Hasn't anyone in your family invented a teleport yet?</i>
</p><p>
  <i>I’m a Luddite.</i>
</p><p>She sighed deeply. <i>If you want to head for your bother's instead, I'll understand.</i></p><p>
  <i>That makes one of us.</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Well. I'll have some snacks and lingerie waiting for you.</i>
</p><p>It only took an hour and a half before he was knocking on her door.</p><p>She was, in fact, in lacy lingerie she'd dug out of a drawer, under a robe so she didn't flash a neighbor. It occurred to her as she opened the door she should probably give him a key.</p><p>He was tan and his hair was shaggy, his usually scruff now an entire beard. He was wearing an actual god’s honest Hawaiian shirt and he grinned at her. “Hello, stranger.”</p><p>"Hi there, sexy." She held her arms out and he swept her up in a hug. She nuzzled her face in the crook of his neck and tried not to think about how very happy she was to see him.</p><p>“I missed you, too,” he told her.</p><p>She gave him a little squeeze in acknowledgement. "Next time you go to Bangladesh for two months, maybe I'll tag along."</p><p>He chuckled a little. “It was really humid.”</p><p>"I'm okay with that. Though my hair gets poufy." She leaned back and gave the beard a tug. "This is cute.”</p><p>“I didn’t know if you’d want me to shave it,” he replied.</p><p>"Mmm, maybe tomorrow." She took his hands and back up, tugging her deeper into her apartment. "It'll be new and exciting.”</p><p>AJ picked her up, and carried her straight up the stairs.</p><p>They exhausted themselves with their reunion. It was late now, and Kat was half asleep. She almost didn't hear AJ when he asked, "Could I ask a fairly large favor?"</p><p>"Mmm. Does it involve animals or non-fun bodily fluids?"</p><p>"No, but it does involve international travel and my family."</p><p>She lifted her head to look at him. "What's up, sexy butt?"</p><p>He shifted to face her. "Would you be my date to my sister's wedding? I don't want to go alone."</p><p>"Your sister who's marrying the prince?" He nodded slowly. "Yeah, of course I'll come."</p><p>AJ blinked. "I thought more persuasion would be needed."</p><p>She shrugged. "Your family is not scarier than my family and I've been dealing with them for almost thirty years. Plus, I'll get to go to a royal wedding and wear a fancy dress."</p><p>He leaned over to kiss her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."</p><p>"You're very welcome. What are we calling ourselves? Just a friend you conned into an international flight?"</p><p>"My family can actually handle the truth. I'd like to share a room and not have to behave suspiciously. Also, my Aunt Wanda is a telepath so there are no secrets." He flopped onto his back and tucked his hands behind his head. "There are many ways in which my family is just. . . a lot. They're loud, they're nosy, some of them are just super weird, plus that whole world-saving Avengering thing. Some of them are from outer space. But what they are not is 'traditional'. And Ruby's fiancé's country has a gay king." He paused. "That said, anyone I don't <i>specifically</i> explain it to is going to assume you're my girlfriend, and I'm frankly too lazy to police that."</p><p>"As long as I don't have to pretend I haven't seen you naked. If I get swept up into any sort of girly stuff that's sure to come out." She curled onto her side to face him. "Are you in the wedding?"</p><p>"I am not, and neither is George. Royal weddings don't do groomsmen. Amelia is, as are their two oldest kids."</p><p>"That's a little pressure off, then." She studied him a moment. "You don't look like you're looking forward to this."</p><p>"It's very. . . fancy."</p><p>And AJ, for all his many wonderful qualities, was not fancy. "You were not a kid that played dress up, were you?"</p><p>"I did not put on my mother's ballgowns, no."</p><p>She laughed, tracing the lines of a tattoo on his arm. "My mom caught me clomping around in her high heels once. It did not go over well. But I always liked dress up at my friend's houses."</p><p>"Ruby actually had a closet of dress-up clothes that would make a Broadway costumer blush. My parents got her kid-sized ballgowns."</p><p>"Of course they did. She's been prepping to be a princess her whole life."</p><p>"I had pint-sized Birkenstocks."</p><p>She laughed again, able to picture it perfectly. "If that's true, I think I need to demand a picture of that."</p><p>"Make friends with my father during the wedding festivities and you shall. All of his favorite pictures of us are embarrassing."</p><p>She was pretty sure her father didn't have a single picture of her as a kid, but AJ's dad was clearly a different kind of guy. "I think making friends with Tony Stark at his daughter's wedding is too ballsy even for me."</p><p>"Dad's a force of nature. You won't get a choice."</p><p>"Okay. Now I might be a little nervous."</p><p>'You agreed. No take-backs."</p><p>She chuckled, kissing his cheek before resettling. "I promise. How long till we leave? Jeremy's gonna want to make me something."</p><p>"Oh, plenty of time. It's in May."</p><p>"Oh good, he'll be able to dither to his heart's content."</p><p>AJ kissed her temple. "Thank you."</p><p>She rubbed his arm distractedly, closing her east to settle into bed. It was not her first time as an emergency date. It would be fine.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you don't follow either of us on Tumblr, the amazing <b>martaangelo</b> made a <a href="https://martaangelo98.tumblr.com/post/622158581187411968/olivesawl-martaangelo98-nyxetoile">family tree chart</a> of all of our face claims in the Tales universe (including the legacy kids). Please go see it, it is awesome.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>George ran a large corporation. Everyone expected him to be busy, but for some reason people thought running the largest charitable foundation in the world was not an extremely consuming job. </p>
<p>This included their mother, who still nagged AJ about going to the doctor.</p>
<p>It was probably a fair nag. He and George had inherited some unfortunate genes, genes which had killed his grandmother and great-grandmother young. It just wasn't quite the level of worry that would be generated if Ruby had them—which she didn't. The boys didn't exactly have boobs.</p>
<p>George lived in a house full of scanners and FRIDAY. The AI handled preliminary medical screenings and sent data to his Aunt Amanda. AJ lived a pretty low-tech life, and often did it in even lower-tech places. He liked his privacy—and apparently the number of tattoos he had made things like self monitoring for suspicious moles a lot harder. So he really did need to go once a year to get things checked out. </p>
<p>He was busy and Kat was a more entertaining way to spend his free time. But he was going to have face his mother at Ruby's wedding, so he managed to cram in the appointments the week before they left. </p>
<p>It was the dermatologist who said, "I think we should biopsy this."</p>
<p>After years of clean bills of health, it was a bit like getting punched in the gut. "I'm sorry, what does that. . . Is there something to be worried about?"</p>
<p>"It's hard to say. Many of these things are benign, but it needs to be checked."</p>
<p>"I'm supposed to be out of the county next week. Will it be possible to have results before then?"</p>
<p>"Probably not, but I'll try. In any case, we can call you wherever you are."</p>
<p>AJ rubbed his hand over his face. "Can you do the biopsy now?"</p>
<p>"I intend to. We just need some local anesthetic."</p>
<p>The wound they sent him home with was so small that they'd put a bandaid over it. It was fine. It would be fine. He thought about telling George, but he was just as busy as AJ, and it didn't feel like the kind of thing he wanted to just dump into conversation during the rare days they all managed to have dinner together.</p>
<p>He had to tell Kat, though. She noticed the bandaid.</p>
<p>"Biopsy is one of those words you definitely never want to hear." She studied his face. "How are you doing?"</p>
<p>"I'm sure it's just a precaution." He shook his head. "There's nothing I can do about it now, so I can't give it headspace."</p>
<p>"Fair enough. Worrying won't change the outcome." Still, she gave his arm a little squeeze before letting go. "Ready for the wedding?"</p>
<p>He smiled, grateful she wasn't going to make him talk about it. "I wanted to talk to you about transportation."</p>
<p>"I swear, if you're about to tell me we're flying economy I'm going to poke your boo boo."</p>
<p>"No. Though you might find it worse. My family wants to take their private jet. My mother is already over there, so it would be Dad and George and his family."</p>
<p>She paused a moment. "How long is the flight?"</p>
<p>"Seven hours or so."</p>
<p>"Wow." She sucked her teeth. "Okay, I have a confession. Jeremy totally hooked up with your brother a few years ago and I've heard the story <i>so many</i> times, I'm deeply concerned it will just fall out of my mouth if I spend that much time with him."</p>
<p>AJ gave a surprised laugh. "Does it have a punchline?"</p>
<p>"Usually it's a review of how nice his dick is."</p>
<p>He coughed a little. "I mean, it's not we've actually compared. . .you know, that, but all of our other measurements are identical."</p>
<p>She looked like she couldn't decide if she was embarrassed or amused. "I have refused to take a picture for him, but best I can tell, you rate just as high."</p>
<p>"I sort of accidentally hooked up with George's girlfriend in college, and she swore we looked the same naked."</p>
<p>"Good enough for me. How do you accidentally hook up with someone? Did you trip?"</p>
<p>"No, no. In her defense. . . George was really drunk, and passed out on my bed. I was tired so I went to sleep in his bed. Then she shows up for a booty call and decides to wake her boyfriend up with a blow job. She had my boxers off before I woke up enough to stop her. Horror and mortification all around." </p>
<p>Kat covered her mouth. "I feel bad for laughing. It's like a sitcom."</p>
<p>"It's funny now. Less so at the time. Neither of us told George—thought I ended up telling him a decade later, and he laughed. The best thing about it, actually, is it is a great asshole filter."</p>
<p>"Asshole filter? How so?"</p>
<p>"You want to know how a guy feels about consent? Tell him that story. If he says I should have kept my mouth shut and had sex with her, run."</p>
<p>Her nose wrinkled and she shook her head. "And slash his tires on the way."</p>
<p>"I got my first tattoo not long after that."</p>
<p>Her fingers traced the lines on his arm, he wasn't even sure she was aware she was doing it. "To differentiate yourself from him?"</p>
<p>"I think I just wanted to identify my body as. . . mine. If that makes any sense."</p>
<p>"It does. Or at least I can understand. I imagine growing up as an identical twin is kind of weird."</p>
<p>"Admittedly, it was hard to separate from the shit-ton of weird my childhood already was.'</p>
<p>"Yeah, but your stories always seem. . . wacky antics weird. The rest of us have to deal with 'and then mom ruined the vacation with her crazy' weird."</p>
<p>"There was that time my Dad almost caused the end of the world. But you are otherwise correct."</p>
<p>"Well, I look forward to whatever wacky antics this wedding offers us."</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>There were more people at the airport than Kat expected.</p>
<p>She and AJ had to walk across the tarmac to reach the private jet which was taking them to Europe—which was also larger than she'd expected. Private jet called to mind a sleek gulfstream. This thing was the size of a commercial passenger jet. It looked like it should say "Delta" and not "Stark Industries" on the side. It had stairs rolled up to its door, and a group of people standing at the base that were clearly more than AJ's immediate family.</p>
<p>"Is everyone bringing a fleet of servants, like a Regency house party or. . ."</p>
<p>"No, no. Sorry, I should have thought of this. For big family things George sometimes gives the cousins living in California a lift." He flashed her a smile. "Might be a good thing. More normal people."</p>
<p>"A larger crowd is probably less awkward," she agreed. She gave his hand a squeeze. "Into the breach?"</p>
<p>One of the men turned, and it was clearly George. Kat knew they were identical, but it was still strange to see. He squinted at them, then poked the blonde woman next to him, who also turned to look. Kat wondered if she should stop holding his hand, but AJ was moving forward, so she had no choice but to hang on and keep up with him, dragging her bag behind her.</p>
<p>More of them turned to stare. When they got close enough the blonde woman, who had a chubby blue-eyed baby in carrier on her front, smiled and held out her hand. "Hi," she said."I'm Amelia, you must be the mystery date." She had an Australian accent.</p>
<p>"Kat," she replied, shaking her hand. "Nice to meet you." If one was going to create a woman her dead opposite, Amelia would probably be it. George and AJ's taste in women was clearly not identical.</p>
<p>George held out his hand, too, clearly understanding it was stupid to introduce himself. "Welcome. AJ just said he was bringing a date and to save a seat on the plane." He gave his brother an accusatory look. </p>
<p>Amelia turned to the others to make introductions. "This is Annie Bennett, Noah Roth, and Nazzie Ingesson."</p>
<p>She did the handshake rounds. "You're the make up artist, right?" she asked Nazzie. "My best friend is Jeremy Stone, he's worked on some photo shoots with you."</p>
<p>"No shit," Nazzie said with a grin.</p>
<p>"Are you kids getting on board or am I just going to have Grandpa's Flying Daycare?" And there, in the plane's doorway, was Tony Stark.</p>
<p>"As if you, and the kids, wouldn't love that," George replied, gamely herding everyone up the stairs.</p>
<p>The doorway fed them through a normal-looking hallway past the galley, and then opened to a living room space—couches and all—that was ridiculously large for being on a plane. She stopped to stare at it as others moved to find places to sit.</p>
<p>She had never personally been on a private plane before, though she knew her dad had a few times. Still, her mental image of one was more or less a plane that was entirely first class. Fancier and nicer, but still a plane. This looked like a hotel room. It reminded her of the yacht her dad's business partner had taken them out on a few times. Only this one, apparently, flew.</p>
<p>The Stark family was an entirely different class of rich.</p>
<p>"So, good news and bad news," AJ said, stopping next to her. "I thought we were taking the supersonic jet, which is faster, but doesn't hold enough people. This one is slower. We'll be in the air ten or eleven hours. On the other hand, this one has actual beds."</p>
<p>She held up a finger. "Hang on, still processing the flying yacht."</p>
<p>He sighed. "I'm sorry. How about we sit?" He waved her over to one of the couches.</p>
<p>She let him guide her over to the couch and sat, curling her legs up under her, just because she could. "Sorry. Little bit of culture shock. My dad's got money, but this is something else."</p>
<p>"When I was a kid we had a much bigger jet. Dad transported a lot more people longer distances back then. It had, I shit you not, two floors." He looked over at her. "I used to get bent out of shape about my family’s luxury goods. And it’s still not my cup of tea—you see how I live. When we were teenagers I'd reached full on rebellion about it. Ruby researched and made me a list of all the regular people who'd made a living off of building our house. Spending money is not nearly as wasteful as sitting on it."</p>
<p>"Honestly, the fact your family can travel like this and still give away as much as I know it does is mind boggling."</p>
<p>"I got my father to put 90% of his fortune in the Foundation. The investment returns on the 10% supports a very lavish lifestyle, a tremendous amount of individual generosity, half the budget of the current Avengers, and the pensions of the retired ones. That's not counting the profit Stark Industries puts out, and the money us kids make on our own. Well, Ruby and George, anyway. Nobody's hurting."</p>
<p>"My father's philosophy is that money should make you comfortable. So you don't have to worry. Any money on top of that is frivolous. He's a lot more generous than he was when I was a kid. Probably 'cause I guilt trip him."</p>
<p>"I think different people have different definitions of comfortable."</p>
<p>"Good afternoon," an Irish-accented voice said over the PA. "If you would please sit and buckle your seatbelts for takeoff, we're cleared to push back. Flight time is 11 hours 14 minutes, and with an expect arrival time of 9:35AM local time."</p>
<p>AJ had mentioned most of his family used an AI in their homes and cars. He had not mentioned she was Irish. "FRIDAY?" she asked, pointing upwards.</p>
<p>"Yes. Seatbelts are between the cushions."</p>
<p>She had to dig a bit, but he helped her find it. Soon they were smoothly taking off, which was a very weird thing to do while sitting on a couch. AJ had sat them on a couch a little out of the way, so they didn't have to make small talk while a captive audience. She could still see everyone giving her surreptitious glances.</p>
<p>"So you didn't tell them about me at all?" she asked, in what she hoped was a low enough voice the others wouldn't hear.</p>
<p>"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."</p>
<p>Men. "Right. Much better to let them speculate as will."</p>
<p>"I don't like talking about my personal life. And I didn't know there would be this many extra people."</p>
<p>There was a thread of stress in his tone and she felt bad. She was supposed to be helping the family stress, not winding it up. She patted his knee gently. "It's okay."</p>
<p>He patted her knee. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to be ambushed."</p>
<p>"I promise," she said. "I don't feel ambushed."</p>
<p>"If you get past the money and the fame and all that, they're really nice people." </p>
<p>"I'll do my best to look past the sparkle."</p>
<p>When the fasten seatbelt sign went off, AJ got up to go to get them a snack. He wasn't gone<br/>two seconds when his father came over and dropped into his seat. "You're Junior's friend."</p>
<p>"Katrina Saito," she said, half standing to shake his hand. "Call me Kat."</p>
<p>"Is this one of those chick flick things where you're pretending to be together to appease the family?"</p>
<p>Out the corner of her eyes, she could see AJ cover his eyes with his hand. "No," she said. "It's one of those friends with benefits things. I'm just doing him a favor so I can wear a really nice dress."</p>
<p>"The furniture converts into beds, but we're crowded so there will be some sharing. Seemed prudent to check." </p>
<p>"Understandable. Sharing will not cause any tension-filled awkwardness."</p>
<p>"Good." There was a pause. "Long way to travel just to wear a dress."</p>
<p>She held his gaze, wondering what, exactly he was implying. Maybe he'd been hoping for the rom-com thing. "He asked really nicely."</p>
<p>"So what do you do for a living?"</p>
<p>"I run a couple of homeless shelters in LA."</p>
<p>He smiled. "Well, that explains how you met Junior."</p>
<p>The fact they called him Junior was currently the best thing about the day. "Actually, we met surfing."</p>
<p>"So you like dangerous sports? That's a plus. Any others?"</p>
<p>"I have a black belt in Jujitsu and a blue belt in Capoeira. I also did gymnastics for thirteen years."</p>
<p>"That sounds like the beginnings of a career as an international art thief. How'd you get into homeless shelters?"</p>
<p>This was beginning to feel like a job interview. Even AJ didn't know this part. "When I was a teenager I ran away from home a lot. Met a lot of nice people on the street with similar stories. People who thought they were doing fine and had a tragedy, or a string of bad luck and had no safety net. Seemed like something someone should do something about."</p>
<p>"See, this is where I'd agree and cut you a check, but that one—” he gestured behind him, probably at AJ—"controls most of my money."</p>
<p>"We've had several professional meetings that involved checks," she assured him.</p>
<p>"Good." There was a long pause, and then, "I'll give you a hundred grand to get him to wear real shoes."</p>
<p>"Dad!" That wasn't one of the boys, but George's wife Amelia, who was standing over them now.</p>
<p>"Just making conversation."</p>
<p>"Shoo," Amelia said. "I need to give her a mission briefing."</p>
<p>He pointed at Kat as he got up. "Think about it."</p>
<p>Amelia sunk into the vacated seat. "You'll get used to him."</p>
<p>"I doubt that, but thanks for the rescue."</p>
<p>"As long as I'm entertaining you, George has charge of the kids."</p>
<p>Kat grinned. "Not entirely altruistic, then. I can respect that."</p>
<p>"Also, given our men are literal clones, we should probably make an effort to get to know what another."</p>
<p>"Their taste in women seems to have diverged." Kat clicked her tongue. "That was out loud. Sorry. You seem nice, I meant, you know. We appear to be photo negatives of each other."</p>
<p>Amelia laughed. "You are not, as far as I can tell—thematically, anyway—that far from George's taste in men."</p>
<p>"That actually makes me feel a bit better," she admitted, laughing. "In a weird way."</p>
<p>"And, honestly, I'm not really George's type. I just kind of happened to him." She looked over at Kat. "I was Clementine's nanny. There was a visa/immigration issue, we got married and then I got pregnant pretty immediately. We did everything backwards."</p>
<p>Wow, his family was some sort of telenovela family. "Whatever works, right? As long as you're happy."</p>
<p>"We are," she said with a smile. "Did AJ give you any sort of prep or rundown of the people you'll be meeting?"</p>
<p>"I know there will be royalty. And that the whole family will be coming. But I didn't get a broken down list, no."</p>
<p>"Ruby is the boys' older sister. She's marrying the prince. His name is Dorian and he is <i>surprisingly</i> normal. She's a little intimidating at first. Extremely nice, but one of those people who seems perfect. Once you get to know her, she's great. There are three other bridesmaids besides me: Edie McCarthy, who is a has a restaurant in New York; Asima Barnes, who is an oncologist and is married to Edie's brother; and Ada Banner, who I probably don't need to explain." </p>
<p>"Yeah, she's pretty famous." For several reasons. "I am a little intimidated at meeting his mother."</p>
<p>"Don't be. She wears her reading glasses on an eyeglass chain and the best Grandma."</p>
<p>"Okay, the glasses chain definitely takes some of the venom out."</p>
<p>"I know her reputation is towering, but she's good people. And you see the both of them together and the whole family will make sense."</p>
<p>"Right. Anything else I should know?"</p>
<p>"Oh, plenty." Amelia ran down the entire pantheon of retired Avengers and their various family members. She was impressed Amelia remembered all the names, not to mention their relationships and some interesting personal tidbit about each of them. Though perhaps she shouldn't be surprised. For all the casual summary of them as George Married the Nanny, you couldn't have a relationship with a man whose brain ran at that speed without having some smarts yourself.</p>
<p>"I feel like I should prepare notecards," Kat said when she was done. "No way I'm going to remember all of that."</p>
<p>"Not to list out, but when you're introduced, the names will be familiar and stick better."</p>
<p>That was actually a pretty good strategy. "Well. Thank you for the prep."</p>
<p>"Taking the new girl under my wing is the least I can do."</p>
<p>"I do really appreciate at it, but like I told Mr. Stark, I'm not AJ's girlfriend or anything."</p>
<p>"That is none of our business. But whatever you are it's enough for him to bring you to a large family gathering, and that's something no one should go into blind." She paused. "Plus I really sincerely do enjoy surprise opportunities to play six degrees of people who have slept with George."</p>
<p>Kat felt a moment of panic. "Oh my God I didn't think he'd tell you." </p>
<p>"Are you kidding? I know all the recognizable names. I saw this thing somewhere about how technically you have slept with all the people your partner has slept with. Here I'd been thinking it was just handful of blokes, so I had to make him tell me if I'd bonked any movie stars. And boy howdy." She grinned. "A path through Clem's bio mom got me to the King of Spain." </p>
<p>Kat stared a moment, then started laughing. She had <i>really</i> not expected to like this woman this much. "Jeremy will be flattered he was remembered."</p>
<p>The plane stopped in San Francisco to pick up another one of AJ's cousin Neil and his wife and son. His wife was the sister of Annie, the redhead who'd come with them from LA. These people really did need a guidebook.</p>
<p>Dinner was served a couple of hours into the flight. It was a rather fancy meal, like would be served in first class. The plane had a dining room, but it only had seating for six. That happened to be exactly the number of adults on board with no children, so they got to have a nice dinner.</p>
<p>It wasn't until Noah, Annie's boyfriend, started talking about his family's vineyard that she realized that there was no wine or any other drinks served. </p>
<p>She wasn't much of a drinker—at a normal dinner like this she'd nurse a single glass of something all night—but it was definitely weird for a dinner in this kind of crowd to be alcohol free. She tried to think if she'd ever seen AJ drink, and she hadn't.</p>
<p>After dinner, George, Mr. Stark, and Amelia started trying to get the kids settled for bed, and Annie and Noah tucked themselves into their couch. So Kat had a moment of somewhat privacy with AJ. It was probably rude to ask, but if her guess was right she wanted to know for sure so she could watch herself. "Can I ask a personal question?"</p>
<p>"You can, if you come help me turn the dining room into a bedroom."</p>
<p>"Will it be our bedroom?" she asked, following him back to the room.</p>
<p>"No, it will not. George and Amelia and my Dad are in here, the seats turn into three beds." He gestured over his shoulder. "There are two actual bedrooms back there, one for the kids and the master, which they gave to Neil and Franny. He's autistic, he's got a lot of sleep trouble. You and I get to bunk out in the living room with everyone else."</p>
<p>Well, joining the mile high club had been a long shot anyway. She watched him take the cushions off one of the seats and went to do the same. "I was wondering. Is someone on this plane a friend of Bill?"</p>
<p>AJ hit a button and the table sunk right down into the floor, and then he looked at her a moment before nodding. "George is, but he keeps that very quiet." He pulled some lever and the chair flattened out like a first class seat. "Neither my father nor my paternal grandfather had the healthiest relationship with booze, and my maternal grandfather died of alcoholism. I looked at what ran in my blood and decided not to play with fire." </p>
<p>"Makes sense." She bent, rummaging for the lever of her chair. "I drank a life's worth of alcohol in my teens and twenties, so I don't indulge much anymore."</p>
<p>"George doesn't generally mind people drinking around him in social settings. This just happens to be his plane, so it's dry."</p>
<p>"I know it's none of my business. Just seemed prudent to check if I was gonna spend the week with you all."</p>
<p>He was making up the bed now. "I don't mind a little weed now and then, though the one night I got really high in college I emptied my trust fund."</p>
<p>She looked over her shoulder at him. "Seriously?"</p>
<p>"Yep." He fluffed a pillow and put it down, moving to the the third seat to convert. "When we turned 21, each of us kids got access to trust fund. Not the bulk of our inheritance, but what my father considered enough to give us a little independence. Catch was, you couldn't buy anything more than ten grand without sign off from my folks. Perhaps understanding correctly that George's first instinct was to fly all of our friends to Vegas and buy a Lamborghini."</p>
<p>"Probably would have been my inclination at that age, too."</p>
<p>"What we learned, on that night, was that it had been set up with a transaction limit and not a daily limit, which was honestly pretty dumb of my parents. With the help of a casino trip and his ability to do complex math in his head, George turned that into a supercar pretty efficiently." AJ waved a hand, stretching the sheet onto the 3rd bed. "I didn't go on that trip. It was right after the thing with his girlfriend and I wasn't in the mood to be part of drunken carousing. Instead I hit up a dispensary, got stoned, and wandered the internet. Came across some post of someone trying to crowdfund surgery for their dog. They needed a thousand dollars, something George was probably unthinkingly dropping on a bottle of champagne as I sat there. So I paid it. And then I just. . . kept clicking. By Monday morning I'd spent a million bucks, and my rent check bounced."</p>
<p>She was now fully staring at him. "What did your parents do?"</p>
<p>"Paid my rent, put ten mil in a 501(c)(3) and told me to pay medical providers directly so nobody got in trouble with the IRS."</p>
<p>She could only contemplate the shit fit either or both her parents would have pulled in the same situation. "Well. You made a lot of people really happy that night."</p>
<p>"A number of them still send me birthday cards." He grinned widely. "And actually a couple of them work for me now."</p>
<p>"Good for you." She finished tucking in the sheets on her bed. "Kinda wish I'd had a Kickstarted up at the time. That probably would have been my quest for emancipation years."</p>
<p>He stopped and looked at her. "That bad, eh?"</p>
<p>She fluffed the pillow with more gusto than necessary. "The woman who birthed me did not tolerate having a bisexual, tomboy daughter well."</p>
<p>"That is shitty but not surprising."</p>
<p>"Eventually, I talked my dad into letting me live with him. Everyone was happier."</p>
<p>Before he could reply, George and Amelia came down the hall into the dining room/bedroom they'd set up. "When we fly a lot of people, I miss the big jet," George said.</p>
<p>"It's around somewhere, isn't it?" AJ asked.</p>
<p>"I hocked it when we moved back to the states permanently," their father said from the doorway. "Saudi prince bought it. Covered everything in gold plating."</p>
<p>"That hurts me on so many levels."</p>
<p>"Come on," AJ said, holding out his hand. "Let's go get our beds ready."</p>
<p>Kat slipped her hand into his, figuring if he was doing PDA in front of his family, he must need it. "Night everyone."</p>
<p>The couch they'd been sitting on earlier converted into a double bed. Smaller than they were used to sleeping in, but they made it work.</p>
<p>Kat tucked herself into his side, taking a breath of his scent. "How you doing, sexy?"</p>
<p>"Not bad," he said. "I'm really glad you're here."</p>
<p>She didn't really know what she'd done to help, but it was a very sweet thing to say. She kissed his shoulder. "Got your back."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>AJ could sleep pretty much anywhere, but he was surprised at how well he slept. Well enough it was hard to wake up at what FRIDAY claimed was breakfast time, but to all their body clocks was about 4 AM.</p>
<p>"I'm having negative feelings about the voice in the ceiling," Kat muttered into his bicep.</p>
<p>"She's an AI, she doesn't care."</p>
<p>"I won't feel bad for having them, then."</p>
<p>"You can stay in bed if you want, but we are in the living room, and the kids will be out in a minute."</p>
<p>Grumbling, she nodded and rolled onto her back. "Fine."</p>
<p>AJ yawned and climbed up, rubbing his hand over the scruff on his jaw. He and George had some sort of sequence of who did or did not have facial hair. They never discussed it, it just seemed to happen. As children their mother had insisted they have different haircuts so they were easy for everyone to tell apart. They'd taken turns getting the one they both wanted. </p>
<p>George was clean shaven, so AJ could let the scruff be—though he was pretty sure Ruby would make him shave for the wedding.</p>
<p>Kat was slowly getting up, yawning and still grumbling. Halfway through pulling a shirt on she paused and he heard her say, "Oh, they probably have good coffee."</p>
<p>"My family are coffee snobs," he called back to her. "It's probably kona."</p>
<p>"If you ever want to get fake married to appease your family, I will totally do it for the coffee."</p>
<p>AJ. opened the sliding door to the dining room and nearly ran into his older niece. "Hi Uncle A! Daddy said I could have Fruit Loops."</p>
<p>"Hi, Clementine." He picked her up and put her on his hip. She was five now, he wouldn't be able to do this much longer. "Fruit Loops sounds great." George and Neil were already putting the dining room back together.</p>
<p>"Sleep okay?" George asked.</p>
<p>"Surprisingly well. You have comfortable beds on your flying yacht."</p>
<p>"Spared no expense," he replied, tossing a grin over his shoulder. "Coffee should be ready."</p>
<p>He got a cup for Kat, and managed to get the two mugs, Clem, and Clem's cereal back out into the living room. All the shades had been drawn up so it was bright in there.</p>
<p>"All of George's kids went through a phase where they had trouble telling us apart and would get completely freaked out by seeing us together."</p>
<p>"I've seen videos of that kind of thing online," she said, reaching for her mug like it was the grail. "I have a bit of a mind trip seeing you two and I'm a grown up person."</p>
<p>He set Clem down and sat himself. "When Ginger was born the hospital nurses had us confused."</p>
<p>"Did George get in trouble for abandoning Amelia's side?"</p>
<p>"She'd sent George for the anesthesiologist and nurse told her he'd gone to get a burrito. Which was me."</p>
<p>"Oh, he was so in trouble."</p>
<p>George came to sit down, and then a few others, and began regaling Kat with funny stories of the two of them getting confused—accidentally or on purpose—as the plane made its decent.</p>
<p>"I think for a while I forgot we were on a plane," Kat admitted, settling onto the couch with him to buckle in. "I could get used to this lifestyle."</p>
<p>AJ smiled. He hadn't been sure if she'd be bothered by his family's extreme privilege, but she was clearly taking it in stride. Even when a royal escort met them at the airport.</p>
<p>In the limo on the way to the palace, she leaned over and whispered, "When I turn this into a Hallmark Christmas movie, I promise to change everyone's names."</p>
<p>"There's lot about Ruby's relationship with the prince that is very Hallmark movie."</p>
<p>"I would not want to be a princess. But so far I'm enjoying being on the fringes."</p>
<p>"I appreciate the company," he said, reaching to pat her hand.</p>
<p>The car pulled into the palace courtyard, and came to a stop in front of absolutely enormous wooden doors. They got out and AJ looked up at the imposing stone facade. His father whistled, hard to impress though he usually was. Then George said, "And you should see the other one."</p>
<p>The two uniformed guards in fancy hats pulled open the wooden doors and Ruby came out. There was a lot of hugging, and some squealing by the women.<br/>She reached them and he gave her a big hug, making her squeak. Then Ruby turned to Kat, and he saw her straighten her shoulders before offering her hand. "Kat Saito. Congratulations."</p>
<p>"Ruby Stark-Potts," she said, shaking her hand. "AJ told me he was bringing a date, and I was grateful for the even table numbers. Do you want to join for girly pre wedding stuff or just relax on your own?"</p>
<p>"I will not say no to pre-wedding girly things. I generally enjoy girly things."</p>
<p>"Excellent." She took a step back. "Come inside, everyone. Mom is upstairs, and then I can have you shown to your rooms."</p>
<p>They filed in, and AJ noticed Kat took his hand to not get lost in the crowd. She was pretty brash and ballsy back home. It was kind of cute to see the glimpses of uncertainty.</p>
<p>They got upstairs into the suite where his parents were staying, and introduced her to his mother. People always expected to be meeting Pepper Potts of her CEO days, but she'd embraced retirement and was far more relaxed than she'd been at any point in AJ's childhood.</p>
<p>"Oh my God, she actually has an eye glass chain," Kat murmured as Mom was doing the hugging rounds.</p>
<p>"And not because she drops or loses them, but because when she puts them down my father picks them up to fiddle with, and he drops or loses them."</p>
<p>"Honestly? That's marriage goals, right there."</p>
<p>He grinned, because it most certainly was.</p>
<p>Ruby showed everyone to their rooms afterwards, and their bags had already been brought up. Their bed was this big medieval thing. It even had curtains. Kat commented on it, and Ruby said, "I know, right? A good 10% of why I'm marrying Dorian is the furniture."</p>
<p>"I'm wishing I'd packed a long white, muslin gown to wander the halls in."</p>
<p>"I know where you can buy that, and I can lend you a candelabra. We've got some really baroque ones."</p>
<p>Kat grinned at her. "You have my interest."</p>
<p>In a way completely different from Amelia, Ruby and Kat also seemed like people you wouldn't expect to hit it off. But knowing Edie Barnes, Ruby's best friend, AJ wasn't surprised at all.</p>
<p>Which is how she ended up getting whisked off for girly things not too long after, leaving AJ to his own devices. The rest of the bridal party had come in by lunchtime, having flown commercial to Munich and drove down. Those of the significant others who liked company had gathered in one of the lounges off the dining room to eat their lunch. </p>
<p>AJ hadn't even sat down with his damn food when George said, "AJ brought a girlfriend."</p>
<p>He sighed. "That's probably overstating it."</p>
<p>"She is a girl. You shared a bed. I saw you kiss her. What am I missing?"</p>
<p>"It's more of a friends with benefits thing," AJ replied, coming over to sit with his sandwich.</p>
<p>"I tried that once," Roger Barnes said around a mouthful of food. "Ended up married."</p>
<p>"You had a lot more history with Asima than I do with Kat."</p>
<p>"Still," Roger said, swallowing. "You brought her to a wedding."</p>
<p>"I wanted company," he said. "I told her you people would be cool about this."</p>
<p>George put a hand to his chest in mock offense. "We're super cool about this. We're giving <i>you</i> a hard time, not her."</p>
<p>"I'll give you that," AJ said. In an attempt to change the topic, he asked, "Did you guys stick the women with all the kids?" Between the group in the room—which included Edie and Ada's husbands as well—they had like 9 kids. Though Azi and Ada's were teenagers.</p>
<p>"There's a daycare downstairs," Roger said. "Just for the wedding."</p>
<p> "It's Ruby," Owen said. "Of course everything's been thought of. Edie probably took the baby with her, but otherwise they're down there happy as clams."</p>
<p>"Ruby learned the lessons of our parents," George said. "Always have day care."</p>
<p>"In my country it would be unheard of to not have available childcare," Azi said. "Particularly at an event like this."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I think my parents learned that when we lived in Wakanda," AJ said. "Dad likes to tell the story of getting lectured about self-care by the Wakandan baby nurses that came when George and I were born."</p>
<p>"Ada commented many times how different her childhood would have been in Wakanda."</p>
<p>They got talking about parenting, which let AJ eat his lunch while only half listening. Most of the cousins were settling down, getting married, having babies. This was what conversations were going to be about now.</p>
<p>He was happy when Jamie Rogers showed up, even if it did bring the topic back around to "AJ brought a girlfriend."</p>
<p>"I didn't know you were seeing anyone," he said, settling next to him with his food.</p>
<p>"I'm not. We're just hooking up."</p>
<p>His brow furrowed. "But you brought her here?"</p>
<p>"I wanted company. These big family events are kind of a lot." His phone rang and he looked down to see an unfamiliar California number. "Hang on, let me take this."</p>
<p>He got up, and went into the hallway to answer. It was his dermatologist. When the doctor calls you themselves, it's never good news. </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Kat was sitting in an incredibly comfortable chair, feet soaking in a lavender scented bath, holding a happily snoring baby. It was both surreal and possibly the most relaxed she had ever been. </p>
<p>"Are you sure you're okay holding her?" Edith asked from where she was getting her nails painted.</p>
<p>"She's sleeping," Kat assured her. "We're good."</p>
<p>"I knew bringing you along was a good call," Ruby said. </p>
<p>"I'm happy to be the official sleeping baby holder."</p>
<p>"How long have you been floating right under my nose?" Amelia asked. "I have plenty of babies."</p>
<p>She wasn't sure that was a sincere question or not, but Kat was feeling mellow enough to answer. "AJ and I have been hooking up about eight months or so. Meeting the family was not on the schedule until the wedding, though."</p>
<p>"That's not usually on the fuck buddy menu," Asima said. "I'm impressed you agreed."</p>
<p>"Well, trip to Europe, royal wedding, excuse to wear a fancy bespoke dress. A girl knows a once in a life time chance when she hears it." She rubbed the baby's back. "He didn't even mention access to rental babies."</p>
<p>"Oh, we've always got a selection of those," Amelia said.</p>
<p>"Because you're popping them out like a Mormon," Annie said, causing Amelia to throw a balled up paper towel at her.</p>
<p>"We are done, thankyouverymuch. The factory is closed."</p>
<p>"I'll believe it when I see the construction tape."</p>
<p>"I don't think you really are going to want to come look at the bandages," Amelia said. "But the Great Snip is happening after we get home from this."</p>
<p>A few of the other women gave a smattering of applause.</p>
<p>"So it will be up to AJ and Ruby to continue the Stark army," Annie said.</p>
<p>Ruby sighed. "Given the results of some tests I just had done, mine aren't likely to actually biologically be Starks."</p>
<p>Annie shrugged. "When has biology ever mattered in this family?"</p>
<p>"I get that. I do." She gestured at Asima. "It's still not the easiest thing to hear, even if I was expecting it. And I guess I was hoping to avoid the enormous hassle that is now before me. Anonymous egg donation is illegal in the EU, for example."</p>
<p>"Speaking of armies," Edie said. "Pretty sure you have one willing to give you an egg or twelve."</p>
<p>"I don't doubt that," she replied. "It's still complicated and a lot to ask."</p>
<p>"I'd give you some genius eggs," Ada popped up. "But mine are so expired they probably have salmonella."</p>
<p>"I have excellent, and prolific eggs," Kat mentioned. "If you get desperate."</p>
<p>There was a moment, then Annie said, "Okay, I'll bite. Why do you know that?"</p>
<p>"My best friend is gay," she said. "He was in a serious relationship a couple years ago and they were talking about marriage and kids. I had some tests run to see if I was a good candidate."</p>
<p>"You're good people," Edie said. "I'll give you mine as they seem to still work," she said to Ruby. "But I don't know if they'd take them."</p>
<p>"Back in the US they cut off at 35 for known donor," Ruby replied. "But thank you."</p>
<p>"I can do it if they can work around my medication," Annie said. "I'm sure Emma would and she's younger."</p>
<p>"I'll do it," Amelia said. "Seriously, George and I already talked about it. That's part of why he's getting fixed and not me. We're completely done so you can literally have all of them. And our kids would be related."</p>
<p>Ruby looked very touched and Kat couldn't help but smile. She really couldn't imagine any of her half- or step-sisters offering her eggs if she needed them. Ruby was apparently going to have to fight them off with a stick.</p>
<p>"Okay," Ruby said finally, after clearing her throat twice. "Who wants to wear a real tiara on Saturday?"</p>
<p>Literally every hand in the room went up.</p>
<p>It was nearly dinner time by the time Kat made her way back to their room. Apparently the King was hosting a formal dinner and everyone who had already arrived was invited. Kat wasn't sure where AJ was, but she didn't expect to find him in the bedroom, laying on the bed staring up at the underside of the canopy.</p>
<p>"Good news, I think I've been fully accepted by the females." She stood by the bed and saw the expression on his face. "Hey," she said softly, reaching over to touch his leg. "What's up?"</p>
<p>"So this thing," he said, gesturing at his arm that still had the bandage over it, "Is melanoma. Well, was. Sounds like they got it all out."</p>
<p>"Oh. Geez." She sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his leg. "So, what's next? Is there follow up or are you okay?"</p>
<p>"They said it's very thin and hasn't grown much. Stage I. They excised the whole thing. I'll need to get checked every 3 months now." He scrubbed his hands over his face. "George and I have the BRCA1 gene. From my mother, who is actually the first woman in her family to survive past something like 55 or 60. My maternal grandmother died of breast cancer when she was my age. Ruby doesn't have it, my parents screened their embryos for it and used the clear ones first. George and I were the last of the batch. In men it ups your risk significantly for a bunch of cancers. Melanoma among them."</p>
<p>He wasn't acting like someone who'd gotten an all clear on a cancer screening. Clearly it was still bothering him. "Have you talked to them about this?"</p>
<p>"Who, George and Ruby? My parents?"</p>
<p>"Well, maybe not them, 'cause wedding. But you have a cousin who's an oncologist and an aunt with a Nobel prize in medicine. Might be a good place to go for a second opinion."</p>
<p>“I don’t want to worry them. Or make them fuss.”</p>
<p>She gave him a look. "I met Dr. Newbury for ten seconds and I'd bet my life savings she does not fuss."</p>
<p>AJ sighed. “She does worry. And it’s Ruby’s wedding.”</p>
<p>Kat reached over and squeezed his hand. "I'm the first to admit I'm not the expert on this. But I think part of the job of family is to worry with you."</p>
<p>He was quiet a long time. "You think I need a second opinion?"</p>
<p>"I think you're still worrying. Like anyone would. And maybe talking to a doctor you trust, who you know has your best interests in heart, will help."</p>
<p>"I need to think about it for a bit. Decide how much 'I told you so' I'm going to get."</p>
<p>She chuckled and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "That part of family, I totally understand."</p>
<p>"FRIDAY monitors George. Body scans in the shower and all. I don't live that high tech, I don't live in one place, and. . . being scanned while showering just feels weird. It generates a lot of warnings that turn out to be nothing, too. But now. . ." He shook his head.</p>
<p>"I would totally have a robot scan me in the shower so I don't have to grope myself every month." She laid down next to him, head propped up on an arm. "And hey, maybe all this is is a wake up call to be more vigilant with your sun screen and doctors appointments."</p>
<p>"I think I'm going to skip dinner, if that's okay. I'm not feeling like company."</p>
<p>"Do I count as company? I feel a little weird going without you."</p>
<p>He smiled. "If you counted as that kind of company, I wouldn't have asked you along."</p>
<p>She smiled and tucked herself a little closer to him. "Later, we could share a bath. The tub is like a swimming pool."</p>
<p>They were soaking in said cavernous bathtub when AJ said, "So my brother and cousins are pretty convinced bringing you to this thing qualifies you as my girlfriend."</p>
<p>She arched her brows, unable to interpret his tone. "I'm not surprised. That seems to be the general feeling among the women."</p>
<p>"I see the logic that fuck buddy is no longer applicable once someone has met your entire family." </p>
<p>"I concede that the line into significant other is probably pretty blurred at that point."</p>
<p>"Significant Other feels further down the chain than girlfriend, though I couldn't say why." He flicked water aimlessly. "But then 'girlfriend' feels like it has more rules to it. I'm not involved with anyone else—you may have noticed I barely have time for whatever we are—but I'm not going to enforce exclusivity or whatever on you."</p>
<p>She shrugged easily. "You've been the only bed partner for about six months. There was a girl when you were in Bangladesh? I think? But I'm busy, too, and you're worth waiting for."</p>
<p>There was warmth in his chuckle. "Why thank you. But that's also kind of my point. If you want to be together, you don't need rules to keep that up, it just does. And if you don't, well, who wants to be in a relationship that only continues because of social pressure?"</p>
<p>"Hey, man, preaching to the choir. My dad's on wife three and I think Karen is working on husband six. Commitment lasts as long as it lasts and nothing will keep it longer."</p>
<p>"My parents had a decade plus and three kids before they got married, and I honestly think a lot of that had to do with legal and/or tax issues. And Dad's superstitions. If intent alone can rein in a guy like that, I figure I'll be fine."</p>
<p>They sat in relaxed silence for a while, as the water started to cool a bit. "Now that I've thought about it," she admitted. "I can't think of a definition of boyfriend that you don't meet."</p>
<p>"Yeah," he replied. "I'm okay with that if you are."</p>
<p>She had absolutely not been looking for anything serious when she called him up for a booty call. But she was too old to be petty and refuse to call a spade a spade. He was her boyfriend. Saying it out loud would not inherently change anything. "I'm okay with it."</p>
<p>"For whatever period of time we are only with each other, we could probably ditch the condoms."</p>
<p>"Ooo. I've never done that before."</p>
<p>"Me neither. Though your birth control is going to need to be <i>very</i> reliable. George has caused three accidental pregnancies." He paused. "Though it would not surprise me if Clementine was less accident than her bio mom claimed—she came straight from the factory that made Karen." </p>
<p>"My birth control is iron clad. At least partially because I know that particular game of Karen's and have never wanted to be accused of same."</p>
<p>AJ kissed her temple. "We do have a giant fancy bed."</p>
<p>"Plenty of room for gymnastics."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Keeping it to himself was stupid, and AJ knew that. A large percentage of the Foundation's money went to medical research. Decades ago, Stark Industries BioMed division had taken up making something his aunt and father fondly called Spite Drugs. There has been a trend among pharmaceutical companies to take an older drug that had a very small but very needed use and jack up the price incredibly high. Dad had weaponized his money towards making this stop, and would make the exact same drug and sell it for peanuts at a loss. They single handedly made the practice untenable, but had to break off the division and run it as a charity, so the avalanche of lawsuits and complaints from the board would stop. </p>
<p>So AJ was, technically, the CEO of a large pharma, having expanded into a dozens of drugs that were desperately needed but low profit. They'd run for-profit companies out of the insulin business, and the research arm was turned towards the largest social impact--mostly antibiotics and vaccines. </p>
<p>There was a corner for the serum research and neurological disease treatment that had been Aunt Amanda's life's work, and another corner devoted to cancer research that had produced some extremely promising treatment. Cancer being something that ran as rampant through her family as it did through AJ's mother's. There literally was a Newbury Building at New York's preeminent cancer center—Tony Stark gave some wild Christmas presents—and from the paperwork he'd seen last week she was gearing up another clinical trial. </p>
<p>She wasn't just <i>a</i> person to talk to, she was <i>the</i> person to talk to. Still, he hemmed and hawed, until the next night after the rehearsal dinner when there was a knock on the door.</p>
<p>Amanda was on the other side. "Wanda told me we needed to talk."</p>
<p>Telepaths. Aunt Wanda had been the bane of his childhood. "Come on in."</p>
<p>She did so, leaning on her cane a little. Aunt Amanda had a bionic knee and usually only limped a little. But the plane flight and busy days was clearly taking their toll. Amanda was only slightly more likely than his father to show weakness.</p>
<p>"She wouldn't tell me what it was about," she said, beelining for the chaise. "But I'm going to guess medical?"</p>
<p>Before he could answer, Kat came out of the bathroom. "Hi." She blinked a moment, then said, "Forgot to brush my teeth," and ducked back into the bathroom. </p>
<p>AJ knew that was a lie and it made him smile. He'd call her back in a minute. For now he rolled up his sleeve to show Amanda the wound on his arm—he'd taken the bandage off. "Excision biopsy. Stage I melanoma."</p>
<p>She peered at it a moment, made a face that indicated she'd have done it better, then looked back at his face. "Do you have a copy of your pathology report?"</p>
<p>"I. . . think?" He pulled out his phone. His doctors' office had some sort of portal where they put test results. It took him a minute to find it, and he held it out.</p>
<p>She frowned while reading it, but that was how she looked when she was thinking. "They schedule you for the sentinel lymph node biopsy?"</p>
<p>"No, she said I didn't need it, they got clear margins." </p>
<p>Amanda's eyes narrowed. "FRIDAY, is it a decent hour in California?"</p>
<p>AJ opened his mouth to tell her George had only gotten FRIDAY installed in Ruby and Dorian's rooms and a couple common areas, but her watch cheerfully replied, "It is 1304 hours in Pacific Daylight Time."</p>
<p>"Excellent. Call your doctor, I want to talk to them."</p>
<p>"You. . . right now?"</p>
<p>"Yes. No time like the present."</p>
<p>"Are you going to yell at them?"</p>
<p>"If they anger me."</p>
<p>"This is what I was talking about with the fussing," he said, pretty sure Kat could hear him. </p>
<p>She poked her head out the bathroom door. "That is totally not fussing. You need to raise your bar."</p>
<p>AJ sat on the bed and sighed. "I don't need you to yell at my doctor. I'm sorry Wanda bothered you."</p>
<p>"Fine, I'll skip the doctor calling. But I disagree with their assessment. Your measurement was .8mm, which is borderline for a lymph node check. Given your family history and lifestyle, I'm not comfortable with borderline. So I would suggest we schedule a lymph node biopsy when we get back to the states."</p>
<p>"Okay," he said. He turned and waved at Kat to come all the way out. "How worried should I be?"</p>
<p>Amanda blew out a breath. "Well, at that size you're showing, an average person would have a very low percentage - something like 5%. However, you have the BRCA1 gene, which increases the risk. You've also spent a lot of time in subtropical climates for your work. That would bump it up a little more. Best guess I'd say you're closer to a 15-18% risk. It's still very low, but high enough not to just blow it off."</p>
<p>"If it has spread, am I in good enough shape to burn it out?" Amanda's team had developed a highly effective cancer treatment out of a formula once used for evil, but it had some hellacious side effects, including making you feel like you were being burned alive—hence the nickname. It could straight up kill you if you weren't strong enough to handle it. It only worked on cancers with a genetic component, but for those who qualified it made even pancreatic survivable.</p>
<p>"That's probably a question for an oncologist. Want me to call ours?"</p>
<p>Asima came down, and eventually his Uncle Zev, who'd been part of the original research team and already knew what was going on anyway thanks to his wife. They had the first half of that conversation in ASL, before he realized Kat couldn't follow along and that was probably rude. </p>
<p>Zev turned on his voice interpreter, a strange robotic voice he still used because people thought it was funny. "Sorry about that," he said.</p>
<p>"No, good timing," Asima said. "I have a couple of colleagues that I got to look at the report and they can conference in."</p>
<p>They ended up with two oncologists, a dermatologist, a geneticist and a plastic surgeon on the line, because even busy specialists would re-arrange their afternoon for the opportunity to have a conference call with Amanda Newbury-Barnes.</p>
<p>"Does this qualify as fussing?" he murmured quietly to Kat, after the conversation the doctors were having got over his head.</p>
<p>"Probably, but it's also pretty cool. I'm waiting for her to get God and the ghost of Pasteur on the phone."</p>
<p>"If anyone could, it would be her." He reached for her hand. "Thank you."</p>
<p>"Me? I just brushed my teeth twice."</p>
<p>"I mean being here. I know this isn't the kind of evening you signed up for."</p>
<p>She smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'm just fine. You want to get some air? We could walk around the gardens while they decide your fate."</p>
<p>"I think they sound almost done."</p>
<p>She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder, still holding his hand. By the end of the call they had a plan for him to go to New York for testing, and the figure out treatment options from there. Everyone seemed to think that if it had spread, burning out was the best thing for his lifestyle, and would lower his lifetime risk. </p>
<p>"It sounds really unpleasant," Kat commented, after the rest of them had left. "I mean, I know cancer in general is not bunnies and rainbows, but the treatment terminology borders on medieval."</p>
<p>"I have not heard anything good. She tried for years to find a sedative or painkiller that would help, but nothing does." </p>
<p>She rubbed his arm. "You want me to come to New York with you."</p>
<p>He shifted to look at her. "That feels like asking a lot."</p>
<p>"Maybe. But it seems like a girlfriend thing to do."</p>
<p>AJ was surprised by just how much he wanted her to be there. "Then, yeah. I'd like that."</p>
<p>"Good, 'cause I already emailed my assistant and told her I'd be gone a few extra days."</p>
<p>He leaned in to kiss her. "Thank you."</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>The day of the wedding they woke to the sound of a normal alarm. Kat suspected it had been set extra early, because AJ indulged her desire to burrow into his side and grumble about morning for a few minutes.</p>
<p>"Up and at 'em," he murmured. "George told me Ruby got everyone diamond jewelry from the vaults."</p>
<p>"I was also promised a tiara," she told him, wrapping her arms and legs around him. "Counterpoint, you're really warm."</p>
<p>He yawned and tried to stretch. "It's going to be a long day. With costume changes." Kat had seen the itinerary. There were two ceremonies and two parties, and because she was with the bride's brother, she'd be going to all of them.</p>
<p>"I know. Jeremy was delighted." One would have thought he was the one attending, he'd been so excited designing her dresses. "The food will probably be really good, too."</p>
<p>"I am sure that it will be." He kissed her. "I'm going to go shower."</p>
<p>"I'm going to hate life for three more minutes, then get up."</p>
<p>"Fair," he said, and then he left and took his warmth with him.</p>
<p>She took her allotted three minutes, then crawled out of bed and went to dig in her bags for the undergarments that went under her first dress. By the time AJ came out of the shower she was in stockings, underwear and a slip and was wiggling into her bodice.</p>
<p>He grinned at her. "There's a skirt, right?" His voice sounded like some part of him hoped there wasn't.</p>
<p>"There is. Jeremy was feeling <i>fancy</i> so my outfit is twelve pieces. I wanted to pee before I dealt with the lower half."</p>
<p>She got a good look at him, and realized he was cleanshaven. Before she could comment, he said, "I told Ruby I would."</p>
<p>"Having met your brother, it's a little mind bending. But I like it." She reached out and rubbed his jaw affectionately. "If you tell your dad I was the one to make you wear real shoes I could make some bank."</p>
<p>AJ laughed. "Come one now, I always wear real shoes with formalwear."</p>
<p>"Damn, back to the drawing board."</p>
<p>His attire involved a gray morning suit, by far the fanciest thing she'd ever seen him in. His waistcoat was yellow, and he commented, "George's is blue. So people can tell us apart. Mom used to color code us growing up. And later made us have different hair."</p>
<p>"If I'm your official girlfriend do I get to ask for embarrassing kid pictures?"</p>
<p>"Dad will happily show them to you on the flight back. You want me to run downstairs and grab us some breakfast items? Ruby said they'd have danishes and stuff out."</p>
<p>"Yes, please, I should be mostly ready by the time you get back."</p>
<p>He returned with a variety of muffins and pastries, and two cups of coffee. Because he was a good boyfriend.</p>
<p>"Bless you," she said, taking a cup and a blueberry muffin. "Could you do the last couple hooks on my bodice? Apparently I have a limit to my flexibility."</p>
<p>"I find that hard to believe," he said, but he did the hooks.</p>
<p>"Arms were never my strength." She wiggled and rolled her shoulders, then did a little turn. "Good? All the tabs and cords tucked away?"</p>
<p>"You look lovely," he said with a grin.</p>
<p>"Thank you," she said, vaguely concerned she was blushing. "The evening dress is sexier."</p>
<p>"The white tie tux I have for the evening probably is, too. You ready?"</p>
<p>"As I'll ever be." She carefully swigged the rest of her coffee and reached for his arm.</p>
<p>They met the rest of the immediate family downstairs, and there were limos out in the drive to take them to the church. Most of AJ's extended family were staying in the palace—apparently it had 50 bedrooms, but they'd already left. What was left was a limo for the bridesmaids, and second one that would contain AJ and Kat, George, their mother, and the oldest niece and nephew, who were in the wedding. Ruby and her father, who were ensconced somewhere out of sight, would arrive last.</p>
<p>Pepper Potts had on a hat so fantastic Kat wanted to take a picture to send to Jeremy. </p>
<p>When they went outside to get in their car, Kat noticed that waiting behind the two limos was a gods-honest horse-drawn carriage.</p>
<p>Kat had no plans to get married and even if she did it would probably be something fast and simple in Reno. But even she had to admit, a horse drawn carriage was definitely a little girl dream come true.</p>
<p>The church was an enormous gothic cathedral. Pepper commented that it had apparently taken a hundred years to build. They were seated near the front and so got to walk all the way down the very long aisle. The guests were like a who's-who of the rich, famous, and aristocratic. Across the aisle and a couple rows back were the Prince and Princess of Wales.</p>
<p>"I admit," she whispered to AJ. "It did not occur to me that I would see <i>other</i> royalty here."</p>
<p>"Apparently they all attend each other's weddings." He leaned and pointed. "Behind them are a couple of the Swedish royals, who I've met. At my father's Nobel banquet George was too drunk to function so I spent half the night swapping ties and pretending to be both of us."</p>
<p>"Wow. Guess everyone is lucky he's sober for this."</p>
<p>"I did a lot of enabling I probably shouldn't have." </p>
<p>She reached over and rubbed his knee gently. "When it's someone we love, it's easy to do."</p>
<p>He put his hand over hers and squeezed it. The music, which had been gentle strings, changed. Suddenly there were trumpets, and people were standing. The bridesmaids came down the aisle, followed by Clem and Milo being about as adorable as two preschoolers could be. Then Ruby and her father. It was a hell of a dress, the kind you could only wear if you were marrying a prince in a giant cathedral. The train had to be ten or fifteen feet long.</p>
<p>She was absolutely beaming, and Kat couldn't help but smile, slipping her hand into AJ's hand as they stood and watched the procession. Despite all his warnings and her own nerves, his family really was very kind and welcoming. And this was a once in a lifetime opportunity.</p>
<p>Now that she'd met all these people—not just his immediate family, but the whole lot of them, including the crowd who had descended the night before to round up cancer experts and put them on the phone—she kind of understood. AJ really couldn't grasp just how shitty families could be. They'd all been raised amongst too many good people and working marriages. </p>
<p>At the top of the aisle, Ruby was ceremonially handed from one man who clearly adored her to another, and to Kat it was more extraordinary than the tiaras.</p>
<p>The ceremony was long, kind of boring, and partially in another language, so Kat could probably be forgiven for letting her mind wander. At the end, the prince dipped Ruby to kiss her and Kat felt completely justified in putting her fingers in her mouth to whistle.</p>
<p>The couple left in a carriage—looked like a different one, because why not?—and then everyone else made their way back to the palace for brunch. There was a lot of grumbling from the people in the car with Kat about being hungry, which she didn't disagree with.</p>
<p>It was the most profoundly formal brunch she'd ever been at. But the food was fantastic. They were seated with George's family, so she got to know the kids a little more, and even ended up with the youngest one on her lap for a while. She was either going to go home ready to get her tubes tied or throw away her birth control.</p>
<p>She met all manner of people—royalty, politicians, celebrities, including the head of a big French Fashion House Jeremy would be jealous she met. The strangest people she met were the purple android, and the Asgardian couple who had a baby small enough to be in a sling that was twelve years old, because that's how they aged.</p>
<p>Next was the civil ceremony, which was held in the palace. It was much smaller and less formal than the church wedding. Kat and AJ were in the front row with Mr. and Mrs Stark, George, and his family. Annie Bennet, of all people, seemed to be officiating.</p>
<p>"Later I'm going to need you to explain how this legal," Ruby said, laughing.</p>
<p>"Darling, I can make anything legal," the King replied from his seat, which spawned more laughter.</p>
<p>"She does all the marriages," AJ murmured. "It's a thing." </p>
<p>"You may now all address me as Lady Ann Bennet, knight in good standing to the king of Vanlund."</p>
<p>Ruby was laughing so hard she could barely get through her vows. They were clearly not the official vows, but ones they'd made up laced with in-jokes—something that didn't help the laughing. They referenced chess, holograms, beheadings, turducken, surfing, FRIDAY, paperwork and paparazzi.</p>
<p>Annie was a stand up comic, and apparently didn't crack at anything. With over-the-top solemnity she said, "By the power vested in me by the kingdom of Vanlund-" She paused to click her tongue and wink at the king. "I pronounce you prince and princess. You may kiss your wife Disney style."</p>
<p>During the church ceremony, Dorian had used his superior height to dip Ruby a bit. Now he swung her around and dipped her so low she was nearly horizontal. Amid the clapping, Kat heard AJ say, "I'd drop you if I tried that."</p>
<p>She patted his knee. "I have gymnast training, I'd hold on."</p>
<p>He chuckled and put his hand over hers. Ruby was wearing a much simpler dress than the giant thing from the church—at least that one would have provided cushioning for any incident.</p>
<p>After the civil ceremony was over, the guests were released for several hours, to return later for an evening reception. All of the ladies getting loaned tiaras from the Royal Vault—which now included Kat—had been informed they would need to come up to a designated suite to have their hair done in preparation. Apparently proper Tiara Hair required a professional.</p>
<p>"I'm abandoning you for jewelry acquisition," she told AJ. "I hope you understand."</p>
<p>"I'm sure with time and therapy I will someday come to do so."</p>
<p>"I'm sure we can move past it, then." She popped up on her toes to kiss him, then headed after the other ladies. '</p>
<p>Wine and copious amounts of chocolate were available in the suite, along with the other women she'd gotten pedicures with the other day, minus the bride, or any of the babies. A selection of tiaras, and other jewels, had been brought up from the vault and were arranged on a table on black velvet.</p>
<p>They took turns picking, and Kat made sure to hang back until what she thought of as the big hitters - the bridesmaids, Annie, and a couple of other girls that seemed close to Ruby - had chosen. When she got up to the arrangement, she was happy to find the one she'd been eyeing was still there. It was set in white gold, or maybe it was platinum, with dark stones that seemed to change color with the angle you looked at them. Given that her evening gown was something Jeremy had referred to as "multi-chrome color shift" it seemed to fit perfectly.</p>
<p>Everyone was sitting for their hairdos when Ruby showed up, in yoga pants and wet hair, carrying her own tiara. </p>
<p>"Was I misinformed on the dress code for the reception?" Edie asked when she came in.</p>
<p>"I had to shower," Ruby said primly as she sat in one of the chairs.</p>
<p>"Look at that face. That's the face of a woman who has already consummated her marriage."</p>
<p>Ruby chuckled and shook her head. "Would you believe the marriage is not, technically, actually legal before that?"</p>
<p>"I believe it," Annie said. "I was made to read the entire related legal statute. Up until two hundred fifty years ago, the consumption had to be witnessed by at least three members of the royal court--which was all kinds of weird implications. Forty five years ago, when the law was amended to be gender non-specific, it also stated that what qualified as 'consummated' was at the discretion of the couple."</p>
<p>"Yep," Ruby said. "Apparently Parliament had a brief, painfully awkward meeting about the mechanics of gay sex, and then panicked and just wrote that."</p>
<p>"I would give so much money to have been a fly on the wall for that," Kat said. "Awkward straight people trying to talk about queer sex is amazingly entertaining."</p>
<p>"All straight people talking about queer sex is entertaining," Ada said. "It's been decades and my husband and still can't agree on what counts as the first time we had sex. He once mansplained to me me that sex with a man and sex with a woman counts differently. I told him I'd once slept with a woman with a penis and I could see the circuits sparking and failing. Never discussed it again."</p>
<p>Kat couldn't, at the moment, turn her head to look at her, but she gestured in her general direction."Oh my God, what is it with men and thinking lesbian sex doesn't count? The first guy I had sex with was upset my hymen wasn't intact and when I reminded him I'd told him I had sex before, he told me that since it had been with women he'd assumed it hadn't counted. What do they think we do, snuggle and eat ice cream and call it sex?"</p>
<p>"They think it's like lesbians in pornos," Ruby said. "And I can't believe anyone expects a hymen in this day and age. Dildos are a thing."</p>
<p>"I make them for my friends as gifts," Ada said.</p>
<p>She could only imagine how awesome a dildo/vibrator made by the woman who supplies the Avengers must be. "How well does one need to know you to get one?"</p>
<p>"This conversation is absolutely enough," she replied. "We can talk specs."</p>
<p>"Outdated ideas about what qualifies as sex abound," Amelia said. "I had to find a new therapist because mine was convinced there was something pathological about George and I deciding not to risk another birth control failure by not doing anything requiring birth control. She thought it was a sign something was wrong with our marriage. I tried explaining that we were having plenty of sex, thank you, and she starts on something about penetration being necessary for a full bond or some bullshit. I. . .didn't have the time to unpack that."</p>
<p>"I hope she doesn't have any non-het patients," one of the cousins whose name Kat couldn't remember said. "'Cause that's some bullshit right there."</p>
<p>"I asked her—Ruby, cover your ears—I asked her if pegging was sufficient and she sputtered as I got up and left."</p>
<p>"I already know more about George than I ever wanted to," Ruby said. "I don't care anymore."</p>
<p>Amelia turned to Kat. "He makes pretty good toys, but Ada's might be better."</p>
<p>"I'm happy to sample both and make a discernment."</p>
<p>"We'll hook you up."</p>
<p>This week was just full of surprises.</p>
<p>When her tiara was in place, and cemented into her hair to the stylist's liking, she took her leave to head back to her room and change for the reception.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the long delay. Nyx and I are preparing to homeschool, since most of the schools in California will be closed in the fall.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was a knock on AJ’s door not ten minutes after Kat went downstairs to the hairdresser, and George was on the other side. “I’m having a wonderful trip,” George said. “My kids are entertained by nannies and my wife is turned on by the whole Jane Austen bed thing.”</p>
<p>“Uh, good?” AJ replied, not understand why George had come to tell him this.</p>
<p>“It’s just that I have a pit in my stomach, and I don’t know why.”</p>
<p>“Ah,” AJ replied. They had some strange instinct about when the other one was in trouble. The vast majority of the time, it had been AJ’s instinct saving George’s irresponsible ass. George’s hadn’t worked so well back when he was drinking, but it apparently did now. “That.”</p>
<p>George crossed his arms. "So there is something? Regretting bringing Kat along, or-?"</p>
<p>“I. . .I may have skin cancer. Still fond of Kat."</p>
<p>He startled in surprise. "You want to run that by me again?”</p>
<p>“I had a suspicious mole biopsied and it’s melanoma. My doctor felt they got it all, but I’m going back to New York so Aunt Amanda can run some more tests.”</p>
<p>He seemed to process this a moment. "Okay. How worried should I be about this?"</p>
<p>“Not too worried. I don’t think. Aunt Amanda and Asima had a whole conference over it last night. It’s treatable if there is something.”</p>
<p>"I mean. . . I <i>guess</i> I trust them to know what they're doing." He reached over and clapped a hand on AJ's arm. "Are you okay?”</p>
<p>He found himself smiling. “Better than I ought to be.”</p>
<p>"Really? Dealing with this shit in the middle of this huge wedding thing. Seems like you'd be crawling the ceiling in stress.”</p>
<p>“I’m finding there are many advantages to this whole Significant Other thing.”</p>
<p>George grinned. "Like that, is it?”</p>
<p>“Well, we discussed it and it seems to have some legs to it, so. . .” AJ shrugged. “I am in uncharted territory. But she’s coming to NY with me.”</p>
<p>"Good, I'm glad. She seems to have passed muster with the collected womenfolk.”</p>
<p>“I noticed that, yes. Ruby is loaning her jewels.”</p>
<p>"I think Ruby is in a particularly good mood. Amelia is providing regular reports. She sounds like our kind of people.”</p>
<p>“She is. I thought many time about asking her over. Once we get home I probably will.”</p>
<p>"Good." George gave his arm a little squeeze. "I'm glad to see you happy."</p>
<p>“Thanks. Don’t tell anyone about the thing, ok?”</p>
<p>"I promise. But keep me posted on how it goes, okay?”</p>
<p>“I will,” AJ reached out to hug him. “I promise.” His brother held him tightly a moment, making it clear exactly how concerned he still was. And would probably remain until AJ called him with the all clear.</p>
<p>The evening reception was white tie, because Ruby liked that sort of thing. AJ liked his tux and tails even less than the suit he'd had on this morning. It even had annoying patent leather shoes.</p>
<p>However, the dress Kat had on made the whole thing worth it.</p>
<p>It shimmered in the light, catching different colors as she moved, from deep indigo to a rich teal to almost gold. It was slinky and almost backless and didn't seem to have any sort of zipper or buttons. He'd been in the bathroom when she got it on, so he had no idea how it came off and kind of couldn't wait to find out.</p>
<p>"You look absolutely gorgeous," he told her as they went downstairs.</p>
<p>She grinned at him. "Why thank you."</p>
<p>"I mean it. I would be speechless were I genetically capable of such a thing."</p>
<p>That made her laugh and she squeezed his arm. "I'll have Jeremy design all my date night outfits from now on."</p>
<p>"I don't know what went on during your salon visit," he said. "But Ruby texted me to repeat that she liked you."</p>
<p>"Mostly we talked about sex," Kat told him matter-of-factly. "Ada's sending me a custom vibrator."</p>
<p>"Wow, they must really like you." He paused. "I hope you were complimentary."</p>
<p>"I actually didn't talk about you. Me and the other non-hetero folk were complaining about men who don't consider girl-on-girl sex 'real' sex. Though I learned something about your brother's sex life I probably could have lived without."</p>
<p>"There's nothing about George's sex life that should surprise anyone."</p>
<p>"I wasn't necessarily <i>surprised</i>, though it's becoming clear you cannot judge Amelia by the cover."</p>
<p>He chuckled. "I could have told you that. They make each other very happy." He smiled. "Both of my siblings are happy, which is a really nice."</p>
<p>Kat stretched up to kiss his jaw. "Does it feel weird to be the only single one?"</p>
<p>AJ looked down at her. "Not at the moment," he said quietly.</p>
<p>She met his gaze, then smiled softly and tugged him down for a proper kiss. "Good."</p>
<p>He put his arms around her and pulled her close. "Save me a dance."</p>
<p>"As many as you like," she promised.</p>
<p>"I took formal dance lessons, you know," he said, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow and heading into the ballroom.</p>
<p>"Of course you did." She sounded indulgently amused, a tone he was used to hearing from his mother. "I've never had dance lessons, but I've been told I'm light on my feet."</p>
<p>"I have faith in your coordination."</p>
<p>"Thank you." </p>
<p>The reception was larger than the private ceremony, but not quite as overwhelming as the crowd at the church had been. He and Kat found their seats and waited for Ruby and Dorian to arrive so the party could start. To their left, George draped his arm over the back of Amelia's chair, in almost the same moment AJ did the exact same thing to Kat's chair. It was entirely unintentional, but sometimes they were like mirrors.</p>
<p>Kat smiled and pressed her cheek against his hand a moment, then tucked in a little closer to him. Ruby and Dorian came in, announced by their formal titles, and shared a dance. Then everyone sat for dinner, and speeches, so it was a bit before she and AJ got to dance.</p>
<p>Dinner was delicious, of course, and it felt like every other big fancy dinner he'd had with his family. Kat fit in just fine, something that made him happier than he'd expected.</p>
<p>"I can't tell you how happy I am that you came along on this shenanigan with me," he told her when they finally got their dance.</p>
<p>"I'm really having a good time," she told him. "Way more than I thought I would when you told me about it."</p>
<p>"Me too," he said. Minus that whole cancer thing. Which he didn't want to think about right now.</p>
<p>They danced in silence a few beats, then she said, "I'm glad I'm your girlfriend."</p>
<p>"It's probably been like that a while, hasn't it?"</p>
<p>"I think so. It occurs to me that after that the phone call you got, I was the first person you told. Seems like a boyfriend/girlfriend kind of thing."</p>
<p>"You felt. . . I don't know. Safe."</p>
<p>"Safe?" she teased. "Clearly I need to work on my tough-girl image."</p>
<p>"Maybe I like that you'll defend me from the bad guys."</p>
<p>"That's better." She scrunched her nose, then went up on her toes to kiss him. "I'll take good care of you."</p>
<p>He rested his forehead on hers. "That's what I meant, you know," he whispered. "You'd keep me safe."</p>
<p>She gave him a little squeeze, looking oddly shy. "I promise. I'm really good at that."</p>
<p>"I know." He held her face in his hands to kiss her again—mostly stoping dancing to do it and deciding he didn't care. She sighed softly into his mouth, curling her fingers around his wrists as she kissed him back. When he finally lifted his head, he whispered, "And I can't wait to peel you out of this dress."</p>
<p>She grinned and kissed the tip of his nose. "You're gonna need scissors. Or a knife."</p>
<p>"Challenge accepted."</p>
<p>"I am greatly looking forward to that, then."</p>
<p>They snuck out after the cake cutting. This wedding had been going on for more than twelve hours at this point and AJ didn't feel guilty about it at all. He was baffled as to how a woman had neatly sewn herself into her own dress, but he was too interested in getting it off to pause and ask.</p>
<p>"I wish I could take a picture of your face," Kat said. "It is both sexy and adorable."</p>
<p>"I'm pretty sure there's a camera on your phone," he replied, carefully popping the stitches with a multi-tool he carried.</p>
<p>"Are you under the impression I have my phone stashed in this thing somewhere?"</p>
<p>"I can see it sitting on the nightstand," he replied. Then he grinned. "Sorry."</p>
<p>"Don't get distracted," she said, tapping his nose with a finger.</p>
<p>He leaned in to kiss her, and then finishing cutting open her dress. It slithered down her, pooling on the floor in an iridescent puddle. She was wearing absolutely nothing underneath.</p>
<p>He gave a quiet whistle. "See, if I'd known about that I might have ripped it."</p>
<p>"We tried a couple of foundation garments but the material was kind of unforgiving. And we figured if I was sewn into it wardrobe malfunctions were pretty unlikely." She reached out and tugged his lapels. "Next time I'll be sure to tell you."</p>
<p>AJ let her pull him back to the bed, and then peel his jacket off when he got there. "This better be the last one of these damn things for a while."</p>
<p>She started unfastening his shirt. "We are people who get invited to charity balls and events. I assure you, they're a lot more fun with guaranteed sex at the end."</p>
<p>"Everything is more fun with you involved, full stop."</p>
<p>His shirt parted and she slid her hands under the fabric, fingers tracing lines over the tattoos on his shoulder. "Sweet talker."</p>
<p>"Is it working?"</p>
<p>She grinned and pulled him down for a kiss. "Absolutely."</p>
<p>In the morning there as a much more casual brunch, and then in the afternoon guests began leaving for home. Instead of going back to California with George's plane, they hitched a ride on a different Stark family jet, one going back to New York so he could have his testing. Reality was creeping in. </p>
<p>Kat kept herself busy chatting with various aunts and cousins, hold babies and somehow ending up in a card game that involved Uncle Bucky, Uncle Clint, and several school aged kids. He had no idea who won but it was a fun spectator sport.</p>
<p>Things were starting to quiet down while kids needed naps or bed, and she returned to sit next to him. "Are we getting a hotel in the city?" she asked, cuddling against him. He didn't know if the PDAs had increased because of the promotion to girlfriend or the cancer scare, but he wasn't complaining.</p>
<p>"Ruby kept her place in the city and said we could crash there."</p>
<p>She nodded. "Sounds good. I'll probably need to do some email catch up."</p>
<p>"If you need to get back to LA. . ." he started hesitantly. He didn't really want her to go, but he also didn't want to be that guy.</p>
<p>"No, no. I talked to my assistant and there's nothing on fire. I just want to make sure I keep on top of things." She kissed his shoulder. "I want to be there for you. Wouldn't have offered if I didn't."</p>
<p>"Thank you," he said quietly.</p>
<p>"Got your back," she told him, squeezing his hand.</p>
<p>"Odds are very high that the tests will be fine and we'll be on our way very quickly. Statistically this is just an excess of caution."</p>
<p>"I know. We won't even have time to catch a show on Broadway.”</p>
<p>“I told George,” he said after a moment. </p>
<p>"That's good," she told him. "How'd he take it?”</p>
<p>“As well as can be expected. He worries.” He shifted and pulled her closer. “I tried to tell my father—he asked why I was going to New York—but when I said he couldn’t tell my mother he said he didn’t want to know.”</p>
<p>"Fair enough. Did you give him an excuse?”</p>
<p>“I told him it was a work thing.”</p>
<p>"A sentence that covers a multitude of sins.”</p>
<p>AJ chucked. “And for me, I could blame any trip to anywhere in the world on that.”</p>
<p>"That's very handy." She pressed a little kiss to his shoulder. "You okay? Manage to have fun despite all this shit?”</p>
<p>“I had a better time than I could have imagined, and I owe a lot of that to you.”</p>
<p>"I <i>am</i> a beacon of joy.”</p>
<p>She kind of was, really. Whenever he saw her, she managed to add a level of happiness to his life he hadn’t even known he was missing, but lately always felt its absence. “Thank you for that, too.”</p>
<p>"I will do my best to continue to keep you in good spirits." She lifted her head and kissed his cheek. "As long as you let me.”</p>
<p>There was a time that would have sounded ominously serious to him. But right now it just sounded nice.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>Kat supposed the good thing about having medical tests run by your aunt in her private labs was that you got to do it at a reasonable hour. Most tests she'd had to have were usually at the crack of dawn with weird food restrictions, and scratchy hospital gowns. AJ's test was scheduled at his aunt's lab in Stark Tower, mid morning, with no fasting and comfy PJs.</p>
<p>The machine AJ was standing in looked like a person-sized pneumatic tube. Kat's dad's old office building had had a tube system that had long been out of service when he moved in. When she was little she'd loved dropping notes down it, imagining they were going to another world, to be found by some alternate version of herself.</p>
<p>"And it won't hurt?" she asked Dr. Newbury as she fiddled with various screens.</p>
<p>"It's just a scan," she replied. "No more painful than having your picture taken.”</p>
<p>“It’s like a Naked Scanner from the airport,” AJ called from inside the tube.</p>
<p>"Am I gonna get to see his insides like the diagrams in an anatomy book?”</p>
<p>“I like you because you sound excited at the prospect,” Doc said.</p>
<p>"I am a person who takes pictures of injuries and send them to friends.”</p>
<p>“Doesn’t everyone do that?” The machine whirred to life, and slowly began sweeping AJ with blue light. Doc was smiling. “I have many scans of AJ and George. They’re easier to tell apart by their skeletons than their faces.”</p>
<p>"Does one of them have lots of broken bones?”</p>
<p>“AJ has a lot of healed hairline stress fractures and his bones are denser."</p>
<p>Given his more active lifestyle, that probably made sense. "My skeleton is probably a mess.”</p>
<p>Doc turned and looked at her. “Have you had a lot of broken bones?”</p>
<p>"Mostly toes and fingers. I've got twenty years of gymnastics and martial arts training. I'm guessing that causes a lot of stress fractures."</p>
<p>She swore the other woman's eyes lit up. "Perhaps after AJ is done we could. . ."</p>
<p>It was probably a compliment to have Dr. Amanda Newbury interested in your skeleton. "You can stick me in your weird TARDIS, sure.”</p>
<p>“You know there is actually one of these in AJ’s house,” she replied, tapping something into the screen. “George uses it.”</p>
<p>"I've never been to his house," Kat said.</p>
<p>“Bringing someone to a family wedding in a foreign country, but not to your house.” Doc shook her head. “Sometimes he’s his father’s son.”</p>
<p>"I've just assumed my loft studio in Echo Park is just way nicer and more comfortable than the Malibu mansion.”</p>
<p>“I suppose that depends on your feelings about four children under 5. Almost done,” she added in the direction of AJ, and Kat could see him nod.</p>
<p>She gave him a wave, making him smile. Doc was studying the screen in front of her and Kat could pinpoint the exact moment all the levity left the room.</p>
<p>The tube opened and AJ came out of it, walking over to them. “Your face concerns me.”</p>
<p>"Normally, I enjoy being right, tremendously," Doc said quietly. "This time I was really hoping you'd get to call me a worry wort. It's spread to your lymph nodes, honey. Stage two. We need to discuss prep for burn out.”</p>
<p>“Well,” he said with a sigh. “Fuck.”</p>
<p>Ignoring the pit in her own stomach, Kat stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him fiercely. She could feel him turn his head and rest his cheek on the top of her head, holding her tightly. </p>
<p>“Okay,” he said finally. “Let me process, call George, eat some food, and then we’ll talk prep and timing.”</p>
<p>"Of course," Doc said. "I'll clear my day. Come back whenever you're ready and we'll talk." She reached over and rubbed his arm. "I'm so sorry, AJ. I wish it was better news.”</p>
<p>“Hey,” he said. “It could be worse. It could be 20 years ago, and I’d spend the rest of my life waiting for that surprise stage 4. This will suck, but it will be done. And you’ll get a fantastic twin study out of it.”</p>
<p>"Because I love you, I hadn't even thought of that yet.”</p>
<p>“We’ll be the world’s first identical twins whose genes you can tell apart. Think of the papers.”</p>
<p>She smiled. "Come on now, I'm supposed to be cheering you up.”</p>
<p>“Have you ever been any good at that anyway?”</p>
<p>"Not really, but in my defense, I spent most of my charisma points on convincing your father to take medications."</p>
<p>AJ chuckled. “That’s a worthy cause.”</p>
<p>"Go get some air," she told him. "I'll be waiting when you're ready to talk.”</p>
<p>Kat could feel him hesitate a moment, then AJ asked Doc, “In the interest of not having the same shitty conversation over and over and not having to manage someone else’s reaction. . . could you possibly call and tell my parents?”</p>
<p>"If you want me to do that, I can. And I'll answer all their questions so hopefully by the time you get to them they'll be calm.”</p>
<p>“That was my general point, yeah. I’m not calling Ruby until she’s back from her honeymoon.”</p>
<p>"I think that's a good idea," Doc said. "I'll call your parents now and discourage them from calling you before you're ready.”</p>
<p>“Thank you,” he said sincerely.</p>
<p>When they got back to Ruby’s condo, AJ went into the bedroom to call George. Kat decided to give him a little space and go get some food.</p>
<p>She had never been to New York City, but she'd grown up in LA and had a decent sense of direction so she did some searching on her phone and managed to find a highly rated pho restaurant and got the works. This seemed like a good time for comforting soups.</p>
<p>AJ was on the couch when she returned. “Apparently both of his daughters have the gene.”</p>
<p>Kat brought the food bags over to the coffee table. "I'm sorry. Is there things they can do?”</p>
<p>“Screening when they’re old enough. And I know Aunt Amanda’s research team is gearing up a clinical trial for pre-emptive burn outs, for people with these very high risk genes. My mother had a preventative double mastectomy in her mid-late 30’s, so it seems reasonable if it works.” He was busily unpacking the food. “The formula that is at the root of the treatment was created by one of the various supervillains my father took down. It was given to Mom during a kidnapping—she will be more upset about the burning than the cancer, by the way—and as a side effect it fixed her breast cancer gene. And grew her boobs back, apparently.” </p>
<p>"Well, that's neat. And a little weird." She went to the kitchen to get bowls to pour the soup in. "How did your brother take it otherwise?”</p>
<p>“As well as can be. Though he’s going downstairs and having FRIDAY run a full booth scan.”</p>
<p>"Guessing there's going to be a lot of those in his future." She sat on the couch and took the bowl of soup he offered her. "How are <i>you </i>doing? Now that you've had time to chew on it a bit.”</p>
<p>“Contemplating my pain tolerance. I’ve heard it’s worse than childbirth.” He picked up his soup but didn’t eat. “My mother has a bit of PTSD about it. There was a kidnapping and near death involved as well, so who knows what’s the most at root—but she’s a redhead, she burns easy, and I remember once when I was kid we were in Hawaii and she had a panic attack because of a bad sunburn.”</p>
<p>Kat winced. "It's a medical procedure, right? Won't they give you pain meds?”</p>
<p>“Yes, but it doesn’t do much. Full anesthesia is too dangerous—you can’t even have an IV. You might melt the needle.” He finally ate a little of his pho. “As you said the other day, it’s medieval. But it works. Chemo makes people sick for months. I only have to suffer for a couple of hours. And recover.”</p>
<p>She reached out to rub his knee. "Do you know how long recovery is?”</p>
<p>“Depends on your age and how healthy you are to start. It’s like having a baby, I’m told. Some people are up and feeling fine the same day, some people still feel terrible a week later. But that’s usually the range.”</p>
<p>"Well, that at least sounds doable. I can bring you pillows and exotic foods and rub your feet.”</p>
<p>“I honestly had no idea this girlfriend thing had so many perks.”</p>
<p>She smiled. "You're just lucky Jeremy is prone to being man-sick. I have lots of practice."</p>
<p>When they were done eating, he called Amanda back, and she set up a meeting for him to meet with the oncology team who ran the burn-out program. One of them had been on the call in his hotel room, and the preliminary prep work was under way. It wasn’t the sort of meeting you could usually get same-day, but the woman had a lot of pull.</p>
<p>It was a long day. AJ had many friends and cousins in NY, but clearly did not feel all that social as he suggested they order take-out for dinner. Then he rustled up a bottle of scotch from somewhere in the apartment. “I make exceptions,” he told her when she raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"Should I cut you off at a certain point?" she asked. "Or just get a jumpstart on nursing duties when the hangover hits.”</p>
<p>He chuckled. “I’m just going to have enough for a buzz.”</p>
<p>"Fair enough. I'm going to make myself some tea.”</p>
<p>His phone rang while she was making it, and it sounded like his parents from the side of the conversation she heard. He went through all the treatment options and assured them he was going to be fine. </p>
<p>“I’m not, I promise,” he was saying. “Yeah. She came with me. . . no, no, we sorted that out. . . no not at the time.” He listed a moment and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Guys, that’s a really inappropriate thing to bet on.”</p>
<p>"Tell them we want a cut!" she yelled from the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Don’t help!” he called back, but she could hear him laughing.</p>
<p>"Oh come on," she said, coming in with her tea and some snacks. "Tony and Pepper Stark must bet big.”</p>
<p>He was hanging up his phone. “Well, at least they approve.”</p>
<p>"Glad to hear it." She sat next to him and reached up to rub his neck. "Hanging in there, sexy?”</p>
<p>“I seem to be.” He took a cracker from her plate. “So there is a significant chance this whole thing will make me sterile. On the one hand, we then wouldn’t have to worry about birth control. On the other hand, they’ve recommended I freeze sperm. Which is. . . awkward.”</p>
<p>Kat sipped her tea. "Only if you want me to help.”</p>
<p>“Trust me, jerking off in a doctor’s office is awkward under all circumstances.”</p>
<p>"I will take your word for it." She let her fingers drift up to rub his scalp. "It's probably worth the precaution. Future you will thank you.”</p>
<p>“I agree. Though I’m not as worried about it as I would be if I didn’t have that clone.”</p>
<p>She laughed. "I suppose that is a nice back up plan.”</p>
<p>“Just idle curiosity, don’t read into—but do you want children?”</p>
<p>She considered a moment, sliding a cracker through some brie. "I think so. I don't <i>not</i> want children, if that makes sense? But I'm twenty-seven and happy with my current place in life. So while I'm okay with it as a someday thing, the idea of it right now is a little panicky.”</p>
<p>He nodded. “That’s about how I feel. My siblings are reproducing with all due haste, so it’s not like anyone is nagging me.”</p>
<p>"I'm sure Karen would love me to start producing the next generation of fucked up daughters, but my sane parent is just fine with my taking my time.”</p>
<p>There was a long pause, and then, “Can I meet him?”</p>
<p>"Dad? Sure, I suppose that's only fair." She sipped her tea. "You can meet step mom and the siblings I like, too if you want. And Jeremy wants to get lunch once we're all in the same city. He sends his best, by the way." She'd caught a few minutes to talk to him earlier in the day to catch him up on events. He was on Mykonos for a photo shoot that sounded more like an orgy from his text messages.</p>
<p>“You know it occurs to me, if we’re making a relationship out of this, he will at some point be at some sort of thing with George and Amelia.”</p>
<p>"He has company manners," she assured him. "Though if they're in the market for a threesome, he's very open minded.”</p>
<p>“Knowing them, they might be.” </p>
<p>"He'll be thrilled to revisit one of his top five dicks." She polished off her last cracker and leaned back on the couch with her tea, moving to rub his back again.</p>
<p>“Have I thanked you enough for being here?”</p>
<p>"You have thanked me," she assured him. "I figure if I wasn't here I'd be in LA worrying about you. So being here is better.”</p>
<p>“It is.” He leaned over to kiss her. “In any number of ways.”</p>
<p>She put her tea cup down so she could wrap both arms around him and sink into the kiss. "I'm glad you find me comforting.”</p>
<p>“Come to bed,” he murmured. “We can be mutually comforting.”</p>
<p>"Mmm." She kissed him again and stood tugging his hands.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Homeschool hasn't killed us yet! Though at the moment our state is on fire, so there is. . . that. (We are safe, it's just very smokey outside)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was perhaps the most unpleasant experience of AJ’s life. Pain wasn’t even the right word, it was somehow beyond that. His mother had prepped him as best she could, and the doctors had loaded him up with medication so was pretty high and didn’t feel fear. But it sure as fuck hurt.</p>
<p>Aunt Amanda was there for most of it, monitoring whatever it was that needed to be monitored. He was aware of a string of other doctors and nurses working with her, but he didn't know any of them, so they were little more than ghosts to his addled mind.</p>
<p>Kat was also there. She wasn't allowed to touch him, so she sat in a chair at arms length, talking to him. He had no memory of what she said - he was pretty sure she read to him at times - but her voice was distracting, and something to focus on other than the pain.</p>
<p>Eventually, some eternity later, it began to wane, the drugs finally got the best of it and he slept. He woke up in the morning, feeling like he’d run three triathlons and then wiped out at the Banzai Pipeline. Perhaps there was a hike through the Gobi desert given how thirsty he was.</p>
<p>He took a moment to breathe and enjoy the lack of searing, burning pain, then took in his surroundings. Still in the hospital room they'd put him in. Apparently he'd cooled down enough for monitoring, as a couple machines beeped gently indicating his heart rate was elevated. </p>
<p>A couple feet away Kat was curled up on one of those fold-out recliners they had in maternity units, fast asleep with a book spread out next to her head. For a minute he just watched her sleep, wondering how he’d managed to quite literally bumble his way into a relationship like this. The kind where you camped in a hospital room.</p>
<p>It seemed very obvious right then that he loved her, but he was also still full of morphine, so perhaps that need to evaluated when he was less high.</p>
<p>The door opened and Aunt Amanda stepped in. She smiled when she saw he was awake. "Hey. Welcome back.”</p>
<p>“I seem to still be alive,” he said.</p>
<p>"You are," she confirmed. "And healthy according to our recent scans. Though I imagine you feel pretty terrible.”</p>
<p>“Words cannot describe. Can I have something to drink?”</p>
<p>"Yes, I'll bring you some ice water. And Jello, do you have a color preference?”</p>
<p>He shrugged. “They all taste the same.” He paused, then asked, “She been here all night?”</p>
<p>Amanda followed his gaze. "Yep. I had them bring the recliner in when she started trying to nap on one of the regular chairs. When I checked in before going home last night she was reading you A Wrinkle in Time.”</p>
<p>That made AJ smile. “Well. I’m glad she’s here.”</p>
<p>"She's good people." Amanda leaned over and kissed his forehead. "I will get you water and Jello. Want me to tell your parents you're awake?”</p>
<p>“Are they here?” He’d told them they didn’t need to come, but it wouldn’t surprise him if they’d gotten on an airplane anyway.</p>
<p>"They're at the Tower, I wouldn't let Tony sleep in a cot. Your mother was. . . fretting, I thought it would be easier if they were close.”</p>
<p>“Tell them I’m awake my body temperature is normal, but I’m not yet fit for company.” </p>
<p>"I will pass that on," she promised. "Be back in a minute.”</p>
<p>“Hey,” he said. “Thanks for saving my life.”</p>
<p>She grinned. "Any time, honey." She gave him a little wave and let herself out of the room.</p>
<p>"You're not dead," Kat mumbled from her nest.</p>
<p>“Yeah, the devil wouldn’t let me in.”</p>
<p>She yawned extravagantly. "You'd probably take all his money and donate it to people." She sat up, hair a hilarious pouty rat nest. "You okay?”</p>
<p>He held out a hand. “Come here.”</p>
<p>"You're sure?" she asked, even as she scooted off the end of the chair and stood up. "They said you'f be all sore and sensitive.”</p>
<p>He just had the strongest urge to touch her. It was almost a need. “I’m so doped up I can barely feel my face, come here.”</p>
<p>She smiled and came over to the side of the bed, perching on the edge and taking his hand in both of hers. "Hi there," she said quietly.</p>
<p>“Hi,” he replied, lifting her hands to his mouth to kiss them. “You’re a really good girlfriend.”</p>
<p>"Yeah? I'm new at this, so your feedback is really appreciated.”</p>
<p>“I was just thinking that I get why the wedding vows are like that. Richer, poorer, sickness, health.”</p>
<p>She gave his hand a little squeeze. "It's always nice to have someone at your side when you're sick.”</p>
<p>“I mean the whole thing, though. I couldn’t fathom I’d ever met someone cool with both my Subaru and my family’s private jet. I get it.” </p>
<p>"Yeah," she said quietly. "Someone who loves all your sides.”</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t want anyone else here but you, you know.”</p>
<p>"Good, 'cause there's no where I'd rather be. But if you're working up to a proposal or something I feel the need to point out morphine is literally being pumped into your vein, so you might want to put a pin in it till a better time.”</p>
<p>“Last time I was this high I gave away my trust fund,” he said.</p>
<p>"I like to think I'm a better idea than that. Still, I'll keep you away from computers for a couple days.”</p>
<p>Aunt Amanda came back with his drink and jello, which he was unreasonably excited about.</p>
<p>Kat stayed on the bed while he ate, one hand on his knee so he could use both hands. Amanda talked mostly to her about his recovery, as it was obvious she would be taking care of him once he was released, which it sounded like he would be later that day, barring any major catastrophes.</p>
<p>"Your parents would very much like to see you, whenever you're up for it," she added.</p>
<p>“I’ve been fortified by jello,” he told her. “Send ‘em in.”</p>
<p>She arched a brow at Kat, who lifted a shoulder and nodded, so she returned the nod and left. Thirty seconds later, his parents came in. They both wanted to hug him, which was actually nice. “See?” he told his mother. “Just fine.”</p>
<p>"I know, I know. You all told me." She brushed his hair off his face. "It's still. . . scary.”</p>
<p>He nodded. “But it does now seem to be over.”</p>
<p>"And I am very relieved."</p>
<p>If he was very honest, even a grown man wanted his Mom when he was sick. “Thank you for coming, despite what I said.”</p>
<p>She smiled and kissed his forehead. "We'll be at the Tower for a week, seeing some old friends. And your father's going to tinker on some things for the new team. I'm happy to fuss on you as much or as little as you like.”</p>
<p>“Kat is taking care of me, you can negotiate shifts with her.”</p>
<p>"I will need to shower and do work eventually," Kat admitted.</p>
<p>“They’re letting me out later today,” AJ said. “We were staying at Ruby’s place, but Doc set us up with one of the guest apartments at the tower.”</p>
<p>"That will probably allow me to visit frequently but not overstay my welcome.”</p>
<p>His eyes felt heavy. “I think the meds are getting to me. It might be nap time.”</p>
<p>His mom gave him another kiss and his dad squeezed his hand before they left. Kat stayed by his side as he drifted to sleep.</p>
<p>They woke him up a couple hours later to get him bundled up and sent across town to Avengers Tower. Normally he’d have been kept overnight, but he had the medical staff at the tower to look after him. </p>
<p>He got more painkillers, Kat tucked him into bed, and he drifted back to sleep.</p>
<p>That was mostly how his next couple days went. Kat fed him, made sure he took his pills when he was supposed to, and mostly let him sleep. His mom was there a few times, so he was pretty sure she was taking time to shower and do whatever work she needed to do, so he could recuperate without guilt.</p>
<p>On what he was pretty sure was the third day, he woke in the afternoon feeling much better. He still sore and tired and he was beginning to think he was never going to get enough to drink ever, but he felt more or less like one of the living.</p>
<p>He got up and peed all by himself, then shuffled out into the main part of the apartment to find Kat.</p>
<p>She was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, with a bandana tied up around her head to keep her hair out of her eyes and a video call up on her computer. At first he assumed it was a work call, but then he recognized her friend Jeremy's voice.</p>
<p>"A real chef makes their own pasta."</p>
<p>"I am not hand pulling noodles," Kat said, knife flying over a green onion. "Is broth from scratch not enough?"</p>
<p>"You shame your ancestors."</p>
<p>"My ancestors survived gold rush laundries, the earthquake, and interment camps, they will get over it.”</p>
<p>“Edie Barnes has a pasta robot,” AJ said from the doorway</p>
<p>"That's cheating," Kat said, looking over at him. "What are you doing up?”</p>
<p>“I came in search of sustenance.”</p>
<p>"I am halfway through homemade ramen, if you can hold out another fifteen-twenty minutes.”</p>
<p>“That sounds delicious.” He leaned far enough into the room Jeremy could see him. “Hey,” he called.</p>
<p>"Hi," he called. "You look pretty good for three days past burning alive.”</p>
<p>“Thanks, I’m just happy my hair didn’t fall out.” He came further into the room just to give Kat a kiss, and then retreated to the couch.</p>
<p>He could hear her chat with Jeremy as she cooked, catching a couple snippets of conversation. Jeremy marveled a bit at how uncannily he looked like George. Kat did a silly Valley Girl voice bragging about her hot boyfriend. Then he heard goodbyes and she came out with two steaming bowls. "Early dinner is served, sexy." </p>
<p>“I don’t think I’m particularly sexy at the moment, but I appreciate the thought.”</p>
<p>"Hey, I gave you the endearment spontaneously, you're stuck with it." She put the bowls down on the coffee table and sat with him, putting a cool hand on his forehead. "How you feeling? You seemed more awake.”</p>
<p>“I think I’m over the worst, so to speak. What day is it?”</p>
<p>"Thursday," she told him "Around four pm. Your mom was by earlier while I took a couple calls.”</p>
<p>“I probably should check my email at some point,” he replied, though he didn’t much feel like doing it at the moment.</p>
<p>"Pretty sure you're entitled to more than three days medical leave.”</p>
<p>“Considering it’s a charity and I don’t take a paycheck. . . yeah, probably. But I have things I like keeping tabs on.”</p>
<p>"Maybe you could check tomorrow," she suggested, reaching over to hand him a bowl of soup.</p>
<p>“That sounds like a good goal.”</p>
<p>He ate the soup, which was delicious, and filling. "Do you want a shower or anything?" Kat asked as she was cleaning up the bowls. "Doc told me to keep an eye on you if you were going to try to stand for a long period of time.”</p>
<p>“I am certainly <i>due</i>for a shower. There’s a bathtub in there if you feel safer.”</p>
<p>"That would lessen the chance of my having to catch you on a slippery floor. But I don't think I can fit in the bathtub with you. And I was going to take advantage of your weakened state to wash your back.”</p>
<p>“The shower does have a bench. And that sounds nice.”</p>
<p>"Compromise is the key stone of a healthy relationship," she told him solemnly, taking his hand to lead him back to the bathroom. She sat him on the closed toilet, then turned the water on to warm up before coming back to help him get undressed. It was vaguely embarrassing, but he was low on energy and it wasn't like it was the first time she'd undressed him.</p>
<p>When he was naked he managed to get to the shower bench all by himself while she stripped and joined him under the spray.</p>
<p>“Sorry about how swiftly I upgraded our relationship from Fuck Buddy all the way to Invalid Care.”</p>
<p>"I admire the efficiency," she told him, dousing the little shower pouf hanging off the faucet handle with soap. "Skip the dull bits and go right to the hardcore levels.”</p>
<p>“I have two concerns,” he told her.</p>
<p>"Share with the class," she said, using some of that gymnastics training to somehow stand on the bench behind him and crouch down to scrub his back.</p>
<p>“Concern one, that this will turn me on and I won’t be able to do anything about it. Concern two, that it won’t, and that’s a whole ‘nother problem."</p>
<p>She kissed the back of his shoulder. "One of those can probably be fixed with a temperature change to the water. The other probably involves a doctor visit.”</p>
<p>“They told me all side effects were temporary, and not to worry about them.”</p>
<p>"Well, then if it's the second thing we don't worry too much." He could feel her shift and her hands came around, soaping up one of his arms, then the other.</p>
<p>AJ closed his eyes. “I’m a dude, I worry about that.”</p>
<p>She rubbed the muscles in his shoulders, loosening them, before sliding down his other arm. "I'd still love you if your dick stopped working.”</p>
<p>“That should go on a list of pros for dating a bisexual woman. If your dick breaks, she’s happy to have sex without it.”</p>
<p>She laughed, kissing just below his ear. "You're just as good with your hands and mouth," she assured him. Then she slid around to kneel in front of him and soap up his front.</p>
<p>He leaned against the marble wall behind him. It was wonderfully cool. “We’ll get some toys.” He paused. “We should no matter what, actually.”</p>
<p>"Ada promised me a couple," she told him.</p>
<p>“My brother has a whole design library of stuff. I kept thinking about asking to have some made for us to play around with, but then I’d have had to explain.” As with many things, it now felt ridiculous in hindsight. Eyes closed, he could just enjoy the touch of her washing his legs with the shower pouf for what it was. Then he opened his eyes and watched her, naked in the shower spray kneeling between his legs. He could almost feel the blood draining from his brain and heading southward.</p>
<p>"Ah," she said after a moment. "I see your concerns were unfounded." She leaned up and kissed him. "Want me to turn the cold water on? Or help you out?”</p>
<p>He laughed a little. “You would quite literally have to do all the work."</p>
<p>"Oh, so like normal hetero sex?" she teased.</p>
<p>“Nonsense—that’s supposed to be the woman laying in missionary and thinking of England while the man does his business.”</p>
<p>She chuckled and kissed him again, one hand slowly circling the head of his cock. "Well. Lean back and think of LA, sexy.”</p>
<p>He shivered, and stroked his hand down her arm. “I am perfectly happy to think only about you.”</p>
<p>"I am pretty awesome." She stroked down his length, up and down, bringing him to full hardness, before lowering her head and taking him in her mouth.</p>
<p>AJ leaned back against the tile again. He could just get lost in it if he wanted to. She’d let him come, this was absolutely a ‘free blowjob’ kind of scenario. But that wasn’t what he wanted right now, so after a minute he tugged on her hair. “Come up here.” She lifted her head and looked up at him, and he said, “You told me Doc put you through the scanner so she could look at your bones.”</p>
<p>"Yep. As expected, my hands and feet are covered in healed micro-fractures.”</p>
<p>“Then unless she told you different, we are both as clean as virgins and I personally have been wanting to try this bareback thing for a good 20 years.”</p>
<p>"Mmm." She stretched up, kissing him as she got to her feet. "You make a compelling argument, Mr. Stark." Cupping his shoulders, she straddled his thighs. "I wish to pursue your proposal," she continued as she lined his erection up with her soft fold, slowly sliding down. "To its completion.”</p>
<p>That felt. . . unbelievably good. “Jesus,” was all he managed to get out.</p>
<p>Kat gave a little groan that sounded like agreement, then started to move, long slow strokes that sent shocks of sensation through him. He ran his hands up her thighs and back down, but was happy to let her ride him. She found his mouth in a messy kiss, tangling her fingers in his hair as she moved faster and harder.</p>
<p>"Close," she murmured after a few long minutes. He didn’t know it that was a request for assistance, but he liked touching her so he did it anyway, reaching between them to dance his fingers over her clit. The sharp sound and shudder he got in reply sounded like approval.</p>
<p>He felt her sink her teeth into the spot his shoulder and throat met, surely leaving a hickey, as she came around him. He could feel every ripple and pulse as she gave into it. He lifted up to her, getting as deep as he could, knowing there was no way he could last. She tightened around him one last time and the world went white.</p>
<p>Kat sunk against his chest, arms draped limply over his shoulders, as the still hot water pounded down on them. He held her, inhaling the scent of sex and soap and her, thinking he’d be happy to never move again. Or maybe that he could go anywhere on earth as long as she came with him.</p>
<p>The oxytocin and other endorphins his body was producing right now aside, there were no painkillers in him. And yet he was just as certain as when he woke up. He nuzzled his cheek against hers and said, “This might sound crazy, but I love you.”</p>
<p>She sighed, sounding utterly content. "I love you back.”</p>
<p>“I would love to carry you back to bed,” he said, “but I’m not sure I can even get myself there.”</p>
<p>She laughed and kissed his shoulder. "That would be an embarrassing injury to explain." She carefully eased off of him and stood. "Chill out a moment while I wash my hair, then we'll make the expedition to bed.”</p>
<p>He enjoyed watching her do that, very much. </p>
<p>*</p>
<p>They stayed almost two weeks in New York, until all of AJ's tests came back normal and he was declared cancer free. Doc Newbury took a bunch of tissue and blood samples "for fun" and wished them the best. They flew a private Stark jet back home all by themselves and Kat got to cross mile high club off her bucket list.</p>
<p>Life was. . . different when they got home. She visited the Malibu house, even sleeping there a couple nights there right after they got back. His niece and nephews were cute but a lot en masse. Clementine found out she could do gymnastics "like the ladies on TV" and Kat spent a fun afternoon in the enormous play room teaching her how to do a handstand and showing off her old floor routine.</p>
<p>She heard clapping when she finished and looked up to see AJ in the playroom doorway.</p>
<p>Clementine bounced on her toes. “Uncle Junior, did you see? Isn’t she cool?”</p>
<p>The “Uncle Junior” thing was one of the best parts of visiting this house. “I did see it, and she’s definitely cool,” AJ replied.</p>
<p>Kat stretched out her arms, shaking her hands out. "Clem's a fast learner. We'll be doing back flips soon.”</p>
<p>“Amelia wants to know if we are staying for dinner.”</p>
<p>"Up to you," she said. "But I'm going into work tomorrow so I need to sleep at my place.”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know if a quiet, adult restaurant appealed. Much as I love George and Amelia’s chef.” The Stark-Potts household, Kat had learned, had half a dozen full time staff. Now that she was around here more, she saw a lot of that ‘different level of rich’ thing.</p>
<p>"I would not say no to a date like thing.”</p>
<p>“I will make that happen. Feel free to resume your gymnastics.”</p>
<p>She grinned at him and looked back to Clem. "Wanna see the back flip?”</p>
<p>“I certainly do,” AJ said as Clem nodded enthusiastically.</p>
<p>With an indulgent smile, Kat checked behind her, then swung her arms up and jumped. AJ and Clem clapped when she landed. Then the little girl said, “Uncle Junior can do a headstand, but this is cooler.”</p>
<p>"I didn't know you could do a headstand," Kat said. “Yoga?"</p>
<p>He nodded. “I suppose I don’t do it much around you. It’s a solitary meditative thing.” They tended to have plenty of other evening acrobatics.</p>
<p>“Do the headstand!” Clementine demanded.</p>
<p>"Yeah, Uncle Junior," Kat teased. "I showed you mine.”</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes, then bent over and came up on his hands as easy as a little kid would. As a gymnast she knew the strength it took to make the motion that smooth, but she could certainly vouch for his core shape. His shirt slid up and she got to admire his lovely back for a moment. She’d never noticed before, but the edging on his map tattoo had lettering, which looked Latin. <i>Hic Sunt Dracones</i>.</p>
<p>She resisted the urge to trace it, so he wouldn't topple. He dropped back to his feet, to Clem's cheers, and Kat stepped close to kiss him.</p>
<p>He made a happy humming noise and wrapped his arms around her. “Clearly we need to do yoga together.”</p>
<p>"I don't think we'd get much done. But it'd be fun." She slipped her hand under the back of his shirt, swiping her fingers over the spot there the tattoo was. "What does this mean?”</p>
<p>AJ laughed a little. “Here be dragons.”</p>
<p>Her brow furrowed, then she laughed out loud. She <i>had</i> noticed the large impressive tattoo of a dragon on his ass and thighs. "You're a dork.”</p>
<p>He grinned. “You’re just figuring this out now?”</p>
<p>"The evidence continues to mount.”</p>
<p>“Come on,” he said. “Let’s go get ready for dinner.”</p>
<p>"Yes dear," she said, kissing him again. "I'll show you more stuff next time I'm over, Clem.”</p>
<p>“I like you,” Clem told her.</p>
<p>She smiled and ruffled her hair. "I like you too, kid.”</p>
<p>They went out to a nice restaurant, and it was good to have a meal without small children underfoot. It wasn’t a super fancy place, of course. AJ didn’t eat anywhere that might require him to wear closed-toed shoes.</p>
<p>"That was nice," she said as they headed back to her place. "Been a hell of a month, huh?”</p>
<p>“It has,” he replied. She was driving, and he was looking out the window. “I have a new project coming up,” he said.</p>
<p>"Oh?" New project usually meant him disappearing for a few weeks. The idea of that seemed even less appealing than usual. “Where?"</p>
<p>“Honduras.” He looked over at her. “Do you speak Spanish?”</p>
<p>She pinched her fingers together. "I can get by. We have a lot of Latinx clients so I had to pick up some for when a translator isn't available.”</p>
<p>“It’s just that it’s housing. That earthquake a couple years ago? The Red Cross set up a temporary camp for the refugees. Half of them are still there. We’re going to be building little houses. Tiny, but real houses. The proposal crossed my desk and I thought about something I’ve heard you say, about how people need to live somewhere and not just stay somewhere. So I said yes. Now they’re shovel ready.”</p>
<p>"People do better when they have a sense of ownership in their home," she said. "Then it feels less like charity and more like a stepping stone back to normalcy. Or even a new normal that's no longer a trauma.”</p>
<p>“I was thinking about having this as a pilot for developing into an ongoing worldwide program.”</p>
<p>She glanced over at him. "Something like what I'm doing with my places?"</p>
<p>“Yeah. So I was wondering if you wanted to come along?”</p>
<p>It took a lot of effort not to whip her head around to look at him. "To Honduras?" He nodded and she massaged the steering wheel. "For the whole time? To help with the project?”</p>
<p>“I mean, it doesn’t have to be the whole time. I know you have stuff here.”</p>
<p>She considered a moment, wondering if that was offering her an out or trying to back out. "When would we need to leave? I have things I need to hand over and stuff.”</p>
<p>“A week or two. It’s flexible.” He paused. “I know it sounds like I’m digging for excuses to ask you to come travel with me, which is something I absolutely would do, except this timing lined up because I’m a Stark and therefore have the Devil’s own luck.”</p>
<p>She arched a brow. "How so?”</p>
<p>“I mean this is a legitimate thing that I didn’t make up. But also I really don’t want to go and leave you.”</p>
<p>That made her smile and something unclenched in her chest. "I <i>have</i> gotten used to you alternately stealing and kicking off all the covers.”</p>
<p>“It’s hot there, we won’t need blankets.”</p>
<p>"Even better." She smiled and reached over to squeeze his knee "Give me a couple weeks to settle some stuff at work and I'd be happy to go with you.”</p>
<p>He grinned widely. “Good. Thank you.”</p>
<p>"Thank you for inviting me.”</p>
<p>One way to really get to know someone was to spend several weeks sharing a tent with them. Kat found she really did enjoy AJ’s company, even when they had very little personal space. It was at least a reasonably fancy tent.</p>
<p>They could have stayed in a hotel in the nearest city and driven out to the site each day, but that wasn’t how he rolled. It was already unusual for someone who ran an enormous foundation to be on-site much—the top levels of a big NGO were generally fully occupied with fundraising and management. None of them camped out in the jungle. But watching him work, she understood why. His ability to solve problems was absolutely world class, and he could MacGyver things out whatever supplies they had. It was a surprising place to see the Stark in him, while up to his knees in mud fixing a damaged rain catchment system while making off color jokes in Spanish.</p>
<p>For her part, she loved hanging out with the people and finding out what they were looking for in housing. Her Spanish went from passable to mostly fluent over their weeks there and the early days laughing at her mispronunciations was a source of bonding for her and the other women. It was like meeting new clients for her housing units, but on a bigger scale. The wants and needs were the same, though. Dignity, a sense of ownership and purpose.</p>
<p>She was so immensely glad she'd come along.</p>
<p>“I talked to my brother on the sat phone,” AJ said the last night. “His whole family is going over to stay in the palace with Ruby for the summer so Amelia can donate eggs.”</p>
<p>Kat's brows went up. "Wow. I know they'd talked about it. Good for them, I hope it goes well.”</p>
<p>“While they are gone, I will have the house to myself.”</p>
<p>She grinned. "Well, that has all kinds of potential.”</p>
<p>“It was very peaceful when it was just George and I. Open the doors and listen to the ocean.”</p>
<p>"Is this an invite? I'd love to spend more time at your place."</p>
<p>“It is. You can stay as much as you want.” He leaned over to kiss her. “We can even pitch a tent on the beach if we want.”</p>
<p>"Sounds romantic.”</p>
<p>He chuckled. “I think we’ve proven we can make anything romantic.”</p>
<p>"That's true. I'll have fond memories of this tent half flooded in mud.”</p>
<p>When they got back to LA, Kat enjoyed hanging out at AJ’s beach mansion. . .except that the commute downtown for work was killing her. </p>
<p>"Are you sure you can't stay?" AJ asked one evening while she was getting dressed. He was giving her sad puppy face, which combined with his bare chest and the view from his windows was a hard thing to say no to. But. </p>
<p>"I have an eight am meeting," she said, pulling her shirt on. "I don't even want to think about what time I'd have to get up to get in for that.”</p>
<p>“You know, I’m pretty sure there’s a hover car somewhere in George’s garage.”</p>
<p>"I will almost certainly kill myself and several others trying that.”</p>
<p>“FRIDAY would fly it,” he replied, but it was clear he was teasing.</p>
<p>She sat on the bed, buttoning her shorts and leaning over to kiss him. "I'll talk to you tomorrow.”</p>
<p>He called her on her lunch break. “I have an idea.”</p>
<p>"Is it a safe for work idea?" she asked, balancing the phone on her shoulder to take a bite of her sandwich.</p>
<p>“Probably. I have been thinking, why don’t I get a place in actual LA? Someplace closer to you. It would be closer to my office, too, when I go in.”</p>
<p>"I would miss the beach," she admitted. "But your idea has merit. Counter proposal: we get a place together.”</p>
<p>“Appealing. Would not help with the beach issue, though. It’s basically either less traffic or more beach. I once chose beach, but the traffic is getting to me.”</p>
<p>"Agreed, but both of us would give us a budget/excuse to get something bigger and possibly nicer, theoretically with a view.”</p>
<p>She could hear his smile. “Sounds like fun.”</p>
<p>"So we'll add apartment hunting to our busy to do lists?”</p>
<p>“House. I live so cramped when I’m in the field I like space when home.”</p>
<p>"Huh. I haven't lived in a house in over a decade.”</p>
<p>“After the Gofundme/Lamborghini weekend, my father split the trusts out, setting aside some irrevocably for specific purposes. There’s a trust out there for me that can only be spend on a house. LA being LA he put a couple mil in it.”</p>
<p>"Well, that certainly puts my 260K stashed away for a down payment to shame.”</p>
<p>He chuckled a little. “Sometimes my bloodlines surface.”</p>
<p>"Clearly. You want to throw that name around to get a real estate agent or should I talk to my dad and see if he can recommend someone?”</p>
<p>“Does he know real estate people? My parents bought a house recently, but my father literally just looked at them on the internet, called the owner and and asked them what their price was to take cash-in-full and be out by the end of the week. He doesn’t do real estate agents.”</p>
<p>"My dad is a real estate developer," she replied. "He owns the building i live in.”</p>
<p>“Well then. Hook us up.”</p>
<p>"I'll let you know what I can set up."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And so ends the story. We have a ton of other things we are working on, but nothing finished. We may start posting a WIP or two with a disclaimer about who knows how long it will take to finish. We also have another chapter to tack on the Differential Diagnosis because it was way too short, I think we were just super distracted by Endgame. Which was well over a year ago. Sheesh. This year, man.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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